Causes of Geriatric Depression
Many issues in a senior’s life can trigger depression. Some areobvious, but some aren’t. It’s up to family and friends to really payattention, because seniors aren’t always aware themselves that they areexperiencing a change in mood or behavior until it’s too late and theyare severely depressed and it becomes life-threatening. With seniors,depression can progress to have severe physical health implications soit must really be caught early and treated. Watch for these triggers ina senior’s life that can impact mood and mental state and causedepression:
· Loneliness and isolation – seniors who livealone have a higher risk of depression than those who live in seniorcommunities, close to family and friends, or with spouses.
· Lackof a sense of purpose – seniors who don’t work, volunteer, or socializein the community may feel a lack of purpose that can lead to depression.
· Health problems – health problems that limit mobility, cause chronicpain, or lead to poor self-image can lead seniors to feel depressed.
· Medication – medications can impact mood, and medication interactionscan impact physical and mental ability. This can lead to mood changesand depression.
· Bereavement – recent deaths of friends, a spouse or partner, a pet, or a loved one can cause severe depression.
· Fear and anxiety – fear of death or failed health, anxiety aboutmoney or safety, or other fears whether real or imagined, can causedepression in seniors.
There is help out there for seniorsexperiencing depression and the Geriatric Depression Scale is a tooldoctors can use to help determine if a patient is indeed suffering fromdepression.
The Geriatric Depression Scale
In 1982,J.A. Yesavage and several colleagues created the Geriatric DepressionScale to help doctors determine if their geriatric patients weresuffering from depression. Along with a thorough examination, theGeriatric Depression Scale is a set of 30 questions meant to beanswered either “yes” or “no” and scored based on a 1-point value beinggiven for each answer. Each question is assigned a “correct” answerthat earns 0 points and an “incorrect” answer that earns 1 point.Scoring 0-9 points in total on the test means the patient is rated as"normal". If the patient scores 10-19, he is rated as "mildlydepressed" and if he scores 20-30 he is rated as "severely depressed".
Questions from the Geriatric Depression Scale
A few of the questions found on the Geriatric Depression Scale arelisted below. The test is set up in such a way as to be simple enoughso that doctors can use it with patients with impaired mental states.
· Have you dropped many of your activities and interests?
· Are you afraid that something bad is going to happen to you?
· Do you often get restless and fidgety?
· Do you feel pretty worthless the way you are now?
· Do you feel full of energy?
· Do you frequently feel like crying?
· Is it easy for you to make decisions?
Treatment Options
Once a doctor has determined that depression is the diagnosis,treatment options can be discussed. Maybe medication is a possibility.There are many great antidepressants on the market today that canreally help seniors feel better and alleviate depression symptoms. Talktherapy with a psychologist or a psychiatrist is also an excellentmethod of treatment. There are many mental health practitioners whospecialize in treating seniors. And it can really help to do a little“self treatment” in the form of joining clubs and volunteering in thecommunity. In many cases, seniors find themselves cut off from societyand that leads to their depression, and it can make a lot of differencewhen they get out and join some activities again. It could also be asituation where the doctor needs to adjust current medications that maybe causing the problem. In any case, there is hope and seniors withdepression don’t have to suffer in the gloom.
