The Role Of Depression In Older Adults

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

Elderly adults make up only 12% of the U.S. population, but account for over 18% of all suicide deaths which is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States (McQueen, 2012). Older adults, especially men 84 years and older, have the highest rates of suicide of any age group (McQueen, 2012).There are many elderly people who take their lives either by their own hands or with the help of a physician or loved one each year. Studies have shown this is due to depression, pain, grief, loneliness, alcoholism and career stress (McQueen, 2012). Fortunately, these are all treatable conditions that could be easily recognized by physicians and family members. Having experienced a couple of suicides by extended elderly

Approximately one out of every four Americans suffers from some form of mental disorder in a given year. About 3.5 million Americans suffer from severe mental illnesses like schizophrenia and manic-depressive illness. At least 40 percent of mentally ill people do not seek help or are not being treated, while many wander the streets homeless (Kornblum).

Throughout the years suicide rates have increased and is a significant public health issue. According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States. However, suicide rates are high among the elderly, yet research on suicide prevention in older adults remains neglected.

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

Today, 42.5 million Americans suffer from a mental illness. There are many different types of mental illnesses that affect over half of the population. Some are more severe than others, but still equally important. Two of the common disorders you hear about today are Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.

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

Mental illness in America affects a lot more people than many people may think. Around 42.5 million American adults suffer from mental illness, and about 9.3 million of those suffer from serious mental problems. Serious mental illness means that their condition interferes with their day to day activities. Something even as normal as going to work or school can be impossible for these people. A study was done and last year one in five Americans or 45.9 million Americans were labeled as suffering from mental illness. However, this estimate in more than likely too low (Bekiempis).

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.

Suicide has been a growing issue over the years, gaining more attention over time. As of 2014, it was reported that 42,773 Americans had taken their own lives, making suicide the 10th leading cause of death (CDC, 2014). Attention has always been held heavily on young adults, although statistics show that the populations with the highest rate of suicide of Americans are ages 85 and older [19.3%] and 45-64 years of age [19.2%] (AFSP, 2014). Suicidal behaviors, such as suicidal ideations and attempts, as well as death by suicide, often occur more frequently in rural areas, compared to urban areas (Cukrowicz & Hirsch, 2014). Research also suggests that risk factors, such as depression and other mental illnesses are prevalent amongst these groups and can be treated as preventative measures (Cukrowicz & Hirsch, 2014). Research has also shown that there is a strong correlation of elderly suicides and the use of firearms (AFSP, 2014). Researchers suggest that physicians who work with elderly adults should be well educated in geriatric mental health procedures as well as their patient’s accessibility of firearms. This is especially important when working with patients in rural areas, as their accessibility to firearms is much higher, therefore having a greater risk of suicide by a firearm (Kim, et al., 2011). All in all, statistics and researchers agree that more attention should be put on elderly adults who may have a

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

Depression historically affects roughly 10% or more of the elderly population. However, this number is not exact because many cases of depression are undiagnosed. For those that are diagnosed, a major problem in the primary care setting is the inability to properly treat depression. Because older adults are more likely to have other health issues, the symptoms of depression can be overlooked or untreated because they are believed to be attributed to a different disorder or health issue. This mental disorder can cause emotional suffering which often causes inadequate functioning in day to day life. Those with depression often exhibit poorer function when compared to those with chronic medical conditions. A mental disorder that imitates depression

Did you know that nearly 20% of people age 55 years or older experience some type of mental health concern? (Centers for Disease and Prevention & National Association of Chronic Disease Directors, 2008) Mental illnesses are very common among older adults and many times will go undiagnosed or will be misdiagnosed. This can happen because the signs of mental illnesses can be easily mistaken for the normal process of aging. Throughout this paper I will focus on the three most common types of mental illnesses among older adults, the facts of mental illnesses, how to recognize the symptoms, and properly treat/care for and older adult with a mental illness.

Mental health issues such depression, anxiety is a health burden that negatively affects many people’s quality of life, especially older adults. In this Literature review we will use the terms older adults, elderly, baby boomer when referring to people ages 65 and older. “The rate of suicide in those aged 65 years and over has been increasing over the past three decades in most industrialized countries, with marked increases in both attempted suicides and death by suicide in the late 1980s” (Deuter, 2016). Older adults in the United States and many countries around the world die by suicide at elevated rates compared with younger adults (Conwell, and Van Orden, 2016). In addition to the age different, suicide seem to affect man and women differently with the baby boomer population. Men die more from suicide compare to women, even though females suicide attempt rate is higher (Heisel, 2006). Deuter reports that, in 2013, 7215 people aged 65 years and over died by suicide the USA, which accounts for 17.5% of the national total of suicide deaths (2016). The elevation of suicide in the elder is not only limited to the United States. According to Conwell (2013), the number of adults 65 year and older who died in the US is 6000 and 20,000 died worldwide, in 2010. The elderly population have become increasing prone to committing suicide and considered to be a population at risk. We will focus on the cause, challenges/controversy, and solutions that were used to address the issue of