older people are at greater risk of developing mental health conditions because of the cumulative effect of numerous risk factors, including chronic illness and isolation.
elderly depression is more common than you may think. find out the signs and symptoms of geriatric depression and discover treatment options.
background depression is among the common mental health problems in late-life and an important public health problem. studies from both middle- and high-income countries have shown that depression is more common among older people than in adolescents. many older people with depression are overlooked, and fewer efforts are made to mitigate their suffering. despite depression being a major public health problem among older adults, its overall magnitude, and its main predictors were not determined for the development of appropriate measures. hence, the objective of this study was, therefore, to estimate the overall prevalence of depression and identify its predictors among older adults in ethiopia. methods available articles were searched by means of different databases using the prisma guideline. the quality of the included studies was assessed using a jbi quality appraisal tool. stata version 14.0 (stata corporation, college station, texas, usa) statistical software was used to analyze the eligible studies. subgroup and sensitivity analyses were performed. cochran’s q and the i2 test were used to assess heterogeneity. the presence of publication bias was evaluated by using egger’s test and visual inspection of the symmetry in funnel plots. result in this meta-analysis, we included 11 articles that assessed 6521 older adults. the overall prevalence of depression among older adults in ethiopia was 41.85 (33.52, 50.18). the finding was higher in the oromia region with a prevalence of 48.07% (95% ci: 35.62, 60.51). the finding also demonstrated that being female (aor = 1.76, 95% ci: 1.17, 2.63), no formal education (aor = 1.82, 95% ci: 1.03, 3.19), with chronic diseases (aor = 2.46, 95% ci: 1.00-6.06), and no social support (aor = 2.01, 95% ci: 1.06, 3.83) were found to be independent predictors of depression in older ethiopian adults. conclusion our systematic review and meta-analysis showed that almost two out of five older adults had depression. female sex, no formal education, having chronic diseases, and no social support were the independent predictors of depression among older adults in ethiopia. the study emphasizes that depression among older adults in ethiopia calls for appropriate screening and interventions to reduce the occurrence and its overwhelming consequences.
late-life depression (lld) is defined as a depressive disorder occurring in a patient older than 60 years, although the onset and definition of cutoff may vary.[1] the impact of clinical depression in older adults can be significant, and choosing effective psychotherapeutic and pharmacological management options can be challenging.
a collaboration between afp and the lown institute promotes a vision of delivering health care that is based on the evidence, balanced in its approach, and focused on the patient.
older people are less likely than younger people to report depression, but it
we all feel a little sad or down from time to time but feeling down is not the same as feeling depressed or depression.
study is first to examine links between insomnia, inflammation and depression in seniors.
when you notice changes in an older adult in your life, such as increased forgetfulness or mood swings, itâÂÂs natural to worry about the onset of dementia. ...
depression is common in people with dementia. having depression can make it much harder to live as well as possible with dementia. it can also worsen problems with memory and thinking.
richard frank and co-authors analyze the unique experience of depression at older ages and recommend increased access to mental health care.
marked variation in the prevalence of depression was found in a multisite sample of community-dwelling older adults in the united states.
older adults with depression showed increased signs of accelerated biological aging, including poorer brain and overall health compared to their peers without depression.
six tips to support them and get the help they need watch video
older adults go through many life changes such as death of loved one, retirement and/or medical problems.
this analysis estimates the share of older adults who reported anxiety or depression amid the covid-19 pandemic.
what is depression? depression is a mental health condition that causes you to feel sad, lose interest in activities that you used to enjoy, withdraw from
depression is not a normal part of aging. learn the signs of depression in older adults and what you can do to help yourself or someone you care about.
seniors often assume that feeling depressed is a natural part of the aging process, and while short periods of sadness are, major depression is not.
experiencing depression as an older adult can indicate that a person has dementia, according to a new study.
depression in elderly persons is widespread, often undiagnosed, and usually untreated. the current system of care is fragmented and inadequate, and staff at residential and other facilities often are ill-equipped to recognize and treat patients with depression. because there is no reliable diagnostic test, a careful clinical evaluation is essential. depressive illness in later life should be treated with antidepressants that are appropriate for use in geriatric patients. a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach, including consideration of electroconvulsive treatment in some cases, is important. the overall long-term prognosis for elderly depressed patients is good.
experts now recognize that aging and anxiety are not mutually exclusive: anxiety is as common among the old as among the young
initiative on depression in late life everyone feels sad or blue sometimes. it is a natural part of life. but when the sadness persists and interferes with everyday life, it may be depression. depression is not a normal part of growing older. it is a treatable medical illness, much like heart disease or diabetes. depression
backgroundit has become an alarming issue that older adults in china are facing mental health issues, causing severe depression. in this context, intergenera...
since the death of his wife two years ago, george hadn’t been the same. he’d taken to sleeping most of the day, he withdrew from his cribbage club, and his appetite had all but disappeared.
background depression is a leading cause of disability worldwide and is a major contributor to the overall global burden of disease. it is also one of the most common geriatric psychiatric disorders and a major risk factor for disability and mortality in elderly patients. even though depression is a common mental health problem in the elderly population, it is undiagnosed in half of the cases. several studies showed different and inconsistent prevalence rates in the world. hence, this study aimed to fill the above gap by producing an average prevalence of depression and associated factors in old age. objective this study aims to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to provide a precise estimate of the prevalence of depression and its determinants among old age. method a comprehensive search of pubmed, scopus, web of sciences, google scholar, and psych-info from database inception to january 2020. moreover, the reference list of selected articles was looked at manually to have further eligible articles. the random-effects model was employed during the analysis. stata-11 was used to determine the average prevalence of depression among old age. a sub-group analysis and sensitivity analysis were also run. a graphical inspection of the funnel plots and egger’s publication bias plot test were checked for the occurrence of publication bias. result a search of the electronic and manual system resulted in 1263 articles. nevertheless, after the huge screening, 42 relevant studies were identified, including, for this meta-analysis, n = 57,486 elderly populations. the average expected prevalence of depression among old age was 31.74% (95% ci 27.90, 35.59). in the sub-group analysis, the pooled prevalence was higher among developing countries; 40.78% than developed countries; 17.05%), studies utilized geriatrics depression scale-30(gds-30); 40.60% than studies that used gms; 18.85%, study instrument, and studies having a lower sample size (40.12%) than studies with the higher sample; 20.19%. conclusion a high prevalence rate of depression among the old population in the world was unraveled. this study can be considered as an early warning and advised health professionals, health policymakers, and other pertinent stakeholders to take effective control measures and periodic care for the elderly population.
depressed older adults, like younger persons, tend to use health services at high rates, engage in poorer health behaviors and evidence what is known as "excess disability." depression is also associated with suicide. older adults have the highest rates of suicide of any age group, and this is particularly pronounced among men.
a new study found that depression prevalence among older adults was greater for those who were 65 – 69 years old.
having the occasional period of feeling sad or blue, which then resolves on its own is a normal part of life and is not considered depression. when symptoms become more common, or more intense, however they should not be ignored. a physician, psychiatrist, or licensed clinical psychologist should be consulted in order to determine the type of depression that may be present, so the person can be treated effectively.
adults over the age of 60 with mental health and/or substance use disorders are faced with challenges to live successfully in the community. they have complex
depression is a mental health condition. it is a mood disorder in which feelings of sadness, loss, anger, or frustration interfere with daily life for weeks or longer.
recognize depression symptoms in seniors and help parents get the treatment they need.
everyone ages differently. older adulthood (65+) can be a period of life that brings newfound freedom to retire and focus on new hobbies, travel, or spending mo
hospitalised older adults frequently present as depressed on our wards, but research suggests that healthcare staff often struggle to identify depression, let alone provide suitable care and support.
discover more about depression - age 65+ in the united states from america's health rankings
the geriatric depression scale (gds) | hartford institute for geriatric nursing
phenomenology of depression in older compared with younger adults: meta-analysis - volume 200 issue 4
are you an older adult experiencing depression? here's more about how it looks, treatment, and more.
marked variation in the prevalence of depression was found in a multisite sample of community-dwelling older adults in the u.s.
late-life depression occurring in older adults is common, recurrent, and malignant. it is characterized by affective symptoms, but also cognitive decline, medical comorbidity, and physical disability. this behavioral and cognitive presentation results from altered function of discrete functional brain networks and circuits. a wide range of factors across the lifespan contributes to fragility and vulnerability of those networks to dysfunction. in many cases, these factors occur earlier in life and contribute to adolescent or earlier adulthood depressive episodes, where the onset was related to adverse childhood events, maladaptive personality traits, reproductive events, or other factors. other individuals exhibit a later-life onset characterized by medical comorbidity, pro-inflammatory processes, cerebrovascular disease, or developing neurodegenerative processes. these later-life processes may not only lead to vulnerability to the affective symptoms, but also contribute to the comorbid cognitive and physical symptoms. importantly, repeated depressive episodes themselves may accelerate the aging process by shifting allostatic processes to dysfunctional states and increasing allostatic load through the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis and inflammatory processes. over time, this may accelerate the path of biological aging, leading to greater brain atrophy, cognitive decline, and the development of physical decline and frailty. it is unclear whether successful treatment of depression and avoidance of recurrent episodes would shift biological aging processes back towards a more normative trajectory. however, current antidepressant treatments exhibit good efficacy for older adults, including pharmacotherapy, neuromodulation, and psychotherapy, with recent work in these areas providing new guidance on optimal treatment approaches. moreover, there is a host of nonpharmacological treatment approaches being examined that take advantage of resiliency factors and decrease vulnerability to depression. thus, while late-life depression is a recurrent yet highly heterogeneous disorder, better phenotypic characterization provides opportunities to better utilize a range of nonspecific and targeted interventions that can promote recovery, resilience, and maintenance of remission.
the changes of aging can sometimes lead to depression, but there are effective ways to prevent and treat depression later in life.
symptoms of depression and mental health issues in older patients often go undetected. here's how to spot warning signs and what to know about treatment.
find out how the right community can help prevent depression in seniors by providing the opportunities and support they need to thrive as they age.
depression in the elderly is a real thing and the risk is increased as seniors age. how do you recognize depression in the elderly?
study indicates link between tech use, anxiety, depression
this information is written for older adults who have or think they might have depression, and the people who care for them.
geriatric depression is a mental health condition affecting older adults. learn here about its symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment options.
depression can be difficult to identify, here are signs to look for and what you can do to help your elderly loved one.
during the #pandemic, #olderadults experienced higher rates of #socialisolation, #anxiety, and #depression. learn more about the #mentalhealth toll of #covid—and find out ways you can get the help and support you need.👇
as we age, we may be at increased risk for depression, but depression in seniors is a treatable medical condition.
introductionas relatively little is known about self-efficacy and social support in individuals aged 65 years and older and whether they are facing a decline...
depression affects an estimated 8% of persons in the united states and accounts for more than $210 billion in health care costs annually. the u.s. preventive services task force (uspstf) and american academy of family physicians recommend screening for depression in the general adult population. additionally, the uspstf recommends screening children and adolescents 12 to 18 years of age for major depressive disorder. all screening should be implemented with adequate systems in place to ensure accurate diagnosis, effective treatment, and appropriate follow-up. the two-item and nine-item patient health questionnaires (phqs) are commonly used validated screening tools. the phq-2 has sensitivity comparable with the phq-9 in most populations; however, the specificity of the phq-9 ranges from 91% to 94%, compared with 78% to 92% for the phq-2. if the phq-2 is positive for depression, the phq-9 or a clinical interview should be administered. screening all postpartum women for depression is recommended by the uspstf, american academy of family physicians, american academy of pediatrics, and american college of obstetricians and gynecologists. women should be screened for depression at least once during the perinatal period using the phq-2, phq-9, or edinburgh postnatal depression scale. in older adults, the geriatric depression scale is also an appropriate screening tool for depression. if screening is positive for possible depression, the diagnosis should be confirmed using diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, 5th ed., criteria.