Depression in old age by john keneth teku/bedcp/101498

Depression in old age

Depression describes a range of moods, from feeling a bit low in mood to feeling unable to cope with everyday life. People with severe depression experience a range of symptoms including low mood, loss of interest and pleasure and feelings of worthlessness or guilt.
Depression can affect anyone, of any culture, age or background. It affects more older people than any other age group. Some 10–16% of elderly people in the community have depression, rising to some 40% of older people in residential and nursing care homes. This is because older people are much more vulnerable to factors that lead to depression.
That said, depression is not an automatic feature of getting older; it can be prevented, and older people respond just as well to the drug and psychological treatments available to working age adults – although they are not always offered them.

What causes depression?

Older people are more vulnerable to many of the factors that are known to cause depression, including:

• being widowed or divorced
• being retired/unemployed
• physical disability or illness
• loneliness and isolation.

In addition, older people may develop depression because of:

• neurobiological changes associated with ageing
• prescribed medication for other conditions 
• genetic susceptibility, which increases with age.