The following information is a summary of information found in an article, "Late-life depression: Usually treatable, usually ignored," presented in the Consumers Union March, 1998, newsletter, On Health. The article was primarily written about depression among the elderly. It has relevance to everyone, especially to those who have elderly relatives. Summarized below are the most important points presented in the article. 
 

· Older people are no more inclined towards depression than younger people--if they are healthy. 

· Because of widespread misinformation a bout depression among the elderly, only about 10 to 15% are accurately diagnosed and treated. 

· Depression increases the risk of certain diseases including heart disease, and perhaps cancer. 

· For people who are already ill, there is a much greater likelihood of dying prematurely from whatever illness is at hand. 

· Classic symptoms of depression include: poor appetite, excessive sleep, poor concentration, loss of enthusiasm. 

· Among the elderly, you can also add: confusion, agitation, irritability, or increased dependency. You can understand why it's easy to mistake depression among the elderly for simple aging. 

· Depression needs to be diagnosed so appropriate treatment can be taken. With mild depression, psychotherapy seems to work as well as taking drugs. For severe depression, generally both drug treatment and psychotherapy is recommended. Exercise can be useful for any type of depression, though not a cure-all by itself. 

· When drug treatment is used among the elderly, it requires careful monitoring both because the elderly have more severe reactions to the drugs, or they require heavier doses for drugs to be efficacious. 

· One more note. When the elderly get depressed, it tends to recur more frequently. 

Unfortunately, too many doctors tend to excuse symptoms of depression among the elderly as just indications of old age. If you live with someone or have an elderly relative you suspect is suffering from depression, don't hesitate to speak up to your doctor. It's definitely a treatable illness, and there is a particular sadness about allowing the elderly to spend the last portion of their lives in a depressed state.

Janelle M. Barlow, Ph.D.  
Author of The Stress Manager 

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