The Elder Population and 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

Some symptoms of depression are stress, anxiety, guilt or losing a close family member or friend. There are also some social symptoms that cause depression such as fighting issues in between family members or a best friend, sexual abuse or too extreme expectations.

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

Major depression can also be the cause of other health issues. Chronic diseases such as cancer and HIV/aids can cause depression. Postpartum depression occurs in pregnancy and is due to hormonal change in the body. Drug abuse at early age can also cause depression in the later life (Schatzberg, 2002).

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 a common mental illness people undergo when they are experiencing the death of a friends, family member or colleague. Death of someone you know will lead to grief and pre-longed periods of sadness. People will experience denial of the death, bargaining, anger and then finally acceptance of the death which then results to healing.

Elderly people physically slow down and have lower energy levels. There are changes in the body systems and organs that can usually result in all types of

Some causes of depression in older people are health and loneliness, loss of their partner, pet, friends and family. The key is to keep busy and to maintain some type of structure in your life. Often medication that is taken to treat physical problems can cause

Disorder: Major Depression Because: People with major depression feel down and sad or irritable persistently even under different conditions, and they do not know why they experience these feelings. They sometimes feel indifferent towards everything, which also can be regarded as personal distress.

There are many reasons that may lead a person into a state of depression and some of these issues may not be able to be fixed unless you seek professional help and assistance. Reasons causing depression can be biological, cognitive, gender, medications, genetics and situational issues. The issue that may cause biological depression can be caused from a person having to many or not enough brain chemicals that are referred to as neurotransmitters. Cognitive issues causing depression typically steam from a person having negative thoughts or low self esteem toward them. These issues may also lead them to assume other people think the same way about them. Gender issues that may cause depression for women throughout their lives may steam from the hormonal changes during menstruation, pregnancy, childbirth and menopause. One thing that is still unclear is if women develop depression issues at twice the rate of men. Issues that can be caused from medications may be caused by side effects of the medication or your body does not process the drug the way it is intended to be processed. Genetic depression puts you at a higher risk for having the same illness as family

The risk factors for depression are major life changes or increased stress, family history of depression, and little to none social support.

Depression is the most common mental disorder, not only for adults, but for children and teenagers as well. The DSM-IV classifies depression as a mood disorder. It states that an individual has suffered a “major depressive episode” if certain symptoms persist for at least two weeks, including a loss of enjoyment in previously pleasurable activities, a sad or irritable mood, a significant change in weight or appetite, problems sleeping or concentrating, and feelings of worthlessness. These symptoms of depression fall into four categories: mood, cognitive, behavioral, and physical. Depression affects how individuals feel, think, behave, and how their bodies work. People with depression may experience symptoms in any or all of the

Of the total population of the United States, 39 million are 65 and older. Of those 39 million older adults, about 5% reside in nursing homes, with the median age of 83.2 years (Urdaneta & Thakur, 2010). It is estimated that by the year 2030, 20% of the nation’s population will be 65 and older (Glaister & Blair, 2008). With the number of older adults rising significantly, so will the number residing in nursing homes. A significant amount of older adults will experience depression. Depression is prevalent in older adults, and those residing in nursing homes seem to be at greater risk for developing it (Urdaneta & Thakur, 2010). It is also estimated that the number of older adults experiencing depression is three to five times that of older

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.

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