Symptoms And Treatment Of Depression

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 elderly population is increasing due to baby boomers. Depression in the older adult age 60 and over is becoming more prevalent. Many older adult men suffer in silence and try to hide their emotions for as long as possible. Men don’t like to talk about their feelings so the symptoms manifest in different ways. The suicide rate is four time more likely in older adult men and they are more likely to die from a suicide attempt than a women. (Pfizer, 2016)

The World Health Center Organization has identified depression as the fourth leading cause of total disease burden and the leading cause of disability worldwide. Research has focused on the role of socioeconomic status and the environmental risk of the underlying cause of these disparities in depression diagnosis and treatment. Research has also proven that African American women have lower rates of diagnosis, treatment, and control of hypertension compared to non-hispanics. Women are twice as likely as men to experience

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

Depression is a very prevalent mental disorder that many people have in the world. Depression can be termed as consistently depressed mood or loss of interest in activities that result in an impairment in daily functioning. Depression can be characterized by hopelessness, and a pessimistic view of the world. People who suffer with depression should take act immediately in receiving help because they could possibly commit suicide and or poor health outcomes. Many older adults who receive help are more than likely to reduce the severity of depression. Also, older adults that receive help by using evidence based practice from their clinicians

Depression is prevalent in later life with serious negative outcomes leading to further disability, higher health costs, and mortality (Hoeft, Hinton, Liu, & Unutzer, 2016). Chronic conditions such as cancer, heart failure, pulmonary and Parkinson’s diseases are significant risk factors for late life depression (Wu, Schimmele, & Chappelle, 2012). Delivering quality comprehensive care to older adults with chronic disease and depression is often a complex and challenging task, and thus, academic preparation for these situations is an important goal.

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).

Four major developments that have influenced the treatment of geriatric depression: 1) The discovery of anti-psychotics and antidepressants 2) Deinstitutionalization and the expansion of community-based mental health centers 3) Dramatic shift in the demographics shift due to the baby boomers moving into later life 4) A movement towards evidence-based practices as the golden standard in the treatment of geriatric depression. The following is a general list of factors that have shaped social work’s response to geriatric depression over the course of this era: 1) Socio-political issues 2) Social work developments 3) Medical and clinical advancements 4) Healthcare trends and 5) Federal policies and organizational initiatives. These five domains were chosen to focus the examination of this paper on the evolution of treatment for geriatric depression based on the recommendation from Greene (2005) who suggested in order to “understand the current nature of social work practice in the field of aging, it is important to take into account the major attitudinal, economic, and social forces that have been shaping it” (p.

First, what are the diagnostic criteria for, likelihood of, and the risk factors for depressive disorders? Second, what are the challenges for recognizing and treating depression? Third, what is the cost of relevant public health interventions? The focus of the study was on depressive disorders and the significant criteria that impacts depression among older people. The authors hypothesized that major depression will have a less prevalent effect on adults living in communities than on younger community residents. The sample consisted of 5,751 random adults aged 65 years and older with or without depression from three communities. The data was retrieved from the Epidemiologic Studies of the

Depression affects nearly 25 percent of seniors over 55 years of age. This number is probably low, however, because it is estimated that 80 percent of seniors who suffer from depression do not even know they have it. Instead, they believe their troubles are simply part of the aging process.

Depression is commonly under recognized and overlooked in the elderly, as it is a time period where clinicians tend to focus more on physical problems than emotional

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.

Isolation, illness, loss of a loved one, finances, and retirement could cause an older adult to experience depression. Anxiety is another disorder that affects millions of American each year. Older adults could experience anxiety from daily tasks or retirement. The assessments of depression and anxiety could help with early detection of the disorder, which in return would help with assisting the individual with the appropriate resources. To accurately assess this population, a practitioner will need to adapt skills that will be utilized in conducting an assessment. A good oral and written communication skill is important to have to be able to conduct the assessment accurately. Be patient with this population and knowledgeable about the assessment tools being used. Because the older adult population is very diverse, a practitioner must be culturally sensitive. Having a solid knowledge base of the diversity of this population and understanding that there is diversity within a culture. To accurately intervene with this population, a practitioner must have the passion to work with older

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 the leading cause of disability in the united states for people between the ages of