Elderly Depression Research Paper

Depression is one of the most recurrently investigated psychological disorders within the area of medical R&D (Montorio & Izal, 1996). A number of exhaustive researches have been carried out to study its symptoms and impacts on different patients belonging to different personal and professional attributes and most of these researchers depicted that depression in the elderly people is very frequent and in spite of number of researches in this context, it is often undiagnosed or untreated. To add to this jeopardy, it has also been estimated that only 10% out of the total depressed elderly individuals receive proper diagnosis and treatment (Holroyd et al, 2000). And for that reason, an authentic

The purpose of this research is to review factors that trigger elderly depression states, their physical and mental health conditions,

Older adults are at a stage in life where they have to come to terms with their “inevitable decline” (Gladding, pg. 301). Older adults may suffer from “loneliness, fear and loss” (Gladding, pg. 302). They have been facing “chronic health problems that require increased attention” (Gladding, pg. 302). Many older people have difficulty transitioning to a “retirement lifestyle and long for their professional roles” (302). Many elderly also experience “limited socialization and interpersonal activities” (Gladding, pg. 303). Depression “affects 121 million people worldwide and is the leading cause of disability” (Pépin, Guérette, Lefebvre & Jacques, pg. 117).

Many people, younger and older, suffer from different types of mental health disorders. Depression is one of the most common disorders that go untreated and mimics signs of dementia. Some doctors use tests such as the Patient Health Questionnaire, and for older people they use the Geriatric Depression scale assessment tool. Both tests are a great way to determine depression and are very useful in the medical field.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “older adults are at an increased risk of depression, because depression is more common in people who have other illnesses, and 80% of older adults have a chronic condition” (CDC, 2017). The CDC also mentions that older adults are often misdiagnosed or undertreated, because the symptoms may be thought to be the cause of something else, or the patient doesn’t understand that treatment would be beneficial and do not seek help.

What do we still need to know about your vulnerable population and what programs address their needs? What programs and policies are needed?

It has also been suggested that perhaps the under-diagnosis of depression in the older adult population occurs because older adults report depressive symptoms differently than younger adults (Katona, 1996). The lack of intra-psychic awareness, rigid defense mechanisms, and cultural or generational negative attitudes towards psychotherapy causes many older adults to evade those issues typically reported by their younger counterparts, such as mood changes, depersonalization, and suicide ideation. Rather, older adults are more likely to complain about somatic symptoms, insomnia, or lack of appetite.

Lin, P., & Wang, H. (2011). Factors associated with depressive symptoms among older adults living alone: An analysis of sex difference. Aging & Mental Health, 15(8), 1038-1044. doi:10.1080/13607863.2011.583623

There Are A Few Reasons Why The People Who Are Elderly And Cross The Age Of 60 Turn Out To Be A Patient Of Major Depression:

Mental disorders are becoming more prevalent in today's society as people add stress and pressure to their daily lives. The elderly population is not eliminated as a candidate for a disorder just because they may be retired. In fact, mental disorders affect 1 in 5 elderly people. One would think that with disorders being rather prevalent in this age group that there would be an abundance of treatment programs, but this is not the case. Because the diagnosis of an individual's mental state is subjective in nature, many troubled people go untreated regularly (summer 1998). Depression in the elderly population is a common occurrence, yet the diagnosis and treatment seem to slip

Depression is a blanket problem for most age group, especially more for geriatric population because of the developmental stage they are in, low or no income, health issues, isolation, etc. It is estimated that 5-10% of elderly who has a primary care visit reports to be depressed (Schaik, Marwijk, Beekman, de Haan, & van Dyck, pg. 2). Antidepressant drugs, psychotherapy, and combination of both have been utilized by the elderly but most go untreated. Of the ones who choose to utilize psychotherapy, there is limited information of the patient satisfaction. A better patient satisfaction can yield better patient outcome, which in return can help other elderly patients to seek the same mode of help for treating their depression.

Typical presenting symptoms in older adults are weakness, insomnia, hypersomnia, headache, fatigue, irritability, chronic constipation, pain, agitation, and unintentional weight loss/change. Dementia and Delirium are also known to have higher rates of depression in older adults. The Geriatric Depression Scale, Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia, and the nine item Patient Health Questionnaire are screening tools utilized when an older adult presents with signs and symptoms of depression (Downing, Caprio & Lyness, 2013).

In the study a literature search was performed using Psyclit, Medline and Current Contents. A computer search was performed using key words including depression, depressive disorders, stressful events, elderly, and risk factors. Studies were only included in the meta-analysis if it included the following (a) depressive symptoms, depressive disorder, or dysthymia. (b) Negative life events included a wide array of events (Gerontol, 2002, p.P88). The article suggest that there should be prevention and intervention programs for elderly people and that we should focus on the occurrence of negative life events in people 65 and older. Special attention should be given to elderly people who have experienced an accumulation of stressful events, because they seem to be at a greater risk for depression. Part C: I find this article to be particularly useful in my field placement and my future practice. I am placed at Broward Health Coral Springs medical center. At least once a week I hear these phrases from my patients: “I just can’t seem to catch a break” or “It’s always one thing after the next”. Interestingly enough, a lot of my patients, particularly in ICU are over the age of

One of main five common stressors faced by older adults depression is he most prevalent. Depression; a recognized mental health issue Frequently, depression in elderly individual causes a great deal of suffering which leads to impaired functioning in their day-to-day life. Repeatedly, medical professional overlook depression symptoms and so treatment is not ever given to the patient. Stereotypically, this happens because many physician either overlook the problem or they realize depression in older adults is not a factor, or because the symptoms co-occur with other medical conditions in elderly patients.

According to Katz and Alexopoules, many of the depressive disorders remain undiagnosed and untreated as they are misinterpreted to be a normal part of ageing33. Schuckit et al.,in a hospital based study, observed that 24% of the patients who are more than 65 years, in the medical and surgical wards, had psychiatric comorbidities among which, depression and alcohol related disorders were predominant34.