Depression in the elderly

You are at risk of developing depression at any point in your life. But the older you are the greater the risk for developing depression. The course of depression is often more serious in the elderly. Depression in the elderly is often triggered by and combined with physical disease such as the common cold. Other more severe diseases like cancer or cardiovascular disease may also trigger a depressive episode. Small changes in their everyday life, or greater strains such as bereavement, hospitalization, change of accommodation or placement in a nursing home may also precipitate depression.

In the elderly, it isn't necessarily the sadness and a depressed mood that are the most prominent symptoms of their depression. Instead it may be tiredness, anxiety, irritability and a lack of zest for life.

Elderly people with depression often complain about the same problems again and again. It may be about their health problems or about things that others regard as trivial matters. This can mean that depression in the elderly may not be discovered, because people around may regard the elderly person as neurotic and hysterical.

Just like when when younger people develop depression, the elderly also experience impairments in memory and concentration. This means that depression in the elderly can be mistaken for dementia, which also causes an impaired memory.