Depression in older adults: how to manage it and how the family can help 12-08-2020
By: María Luisa Teijeiro
Depression in older adults is a widespread problem, but it is not a normal part of aging. Often, it is not recognized or treated.
Depression is not just sadness, it is a disease and must be treated.
It can often be reversed with appropriate and immediate treatment. If left untreated, it can accelerate the physical, cognitive and social deterioration of the aging. As well as delay recovery from diseases and surgeries, go more to medical consultations and finally suicide
In many cases, depression in the older adult may not be diagnosed correctly because many depressed people do not show sadness. In many cases the depressed person can effectively hide his or her sadness. Therefore, it is important to know that there are other signs, both physical and emotional, that are not easy to see if the affected person does not communicate them or if they do not want to talk about their feelings.
In the third age, important losses occur: death of the couple, family, friendships, loss of work, role in the family and in society, leading to a poor self-image and feelings of inferiority that predispose depressive situations.
Certain variables increase the risk of depression. Social isolation, widowhood, divorce or separation of the couple, associated medical diseases, some incapacitating disease, low socioeconomic level, polypharmacy, chronic pain, insomnia, mourning, cognitive impairment, institutionalization in nursing homes or care homes, dependence on alcohol and/or psychotropic drugs such as benzodiazepines and loss of independence.
Violence, mistreatment, discrimination, an architecturally unfriendly city causes confinement in their homes and with little social interaction that predisposes them to suffer depression in the elderly.
It often coexists with another condition that disguises or disguises the manifestations that come from somatic complaints such as agitation, insomnia, weight loss, anorexia fatigue, psychomotor slowdown and cognitive impairment.
Depression can even have psychotic expressions such as delusional ideas of poverty and poor health, as well as auditory and visual hallucinations.
What can we do with our depressed elders?
Even though we can't fix our family member's depression on our own, we have the ability to give him or her all the support and understanding to help. Here are some steps you can take to do this:
- Listen to him carefully whenever they wants to talk. Avoid giving them opinions or advice that makes you feel judged.
- Make sure they do not miss any of their medical appointments and help them with their medications.
- Provide help with daily tasks that they cannot take care of or do not feel like doing because of depression.
- Remind him of the positive qualities he has as a person, because when he suffers from depression the person often judges himself to feel that he makes mistakes in everything he does.
- Establish a light and stress-free schedule where the older adult has time to sleep, eat, and take a walk.
- Carry out activities together such as watching movies, taking a walk, making food, whenever the person wants to do so, avoiding forcing them or making "encouraging" comments such as "cheer up", "this will make you feel better", etc.
- See a psychologist for support and advice.
There are strategies that will help us deal with depression and anxiety in our elderly relatives. These include:
- View photos of family and loved ones and good memories. It is beneficial to carry them even in your wallet, this has been shown to decrease the pain produced by depression.
- Try to make sure that they sleeps well, that they compliy with the required sleep hours. 80% of people with depression have problems with insomnia and falling asleep, which makes them feel sadder and more tired. Eliminate caffeine, go to bed at the same time, in short, have a good routine to go to bed.
- Try to make new friends. Social relationships are a key factor in managing depression. It is good that they get involved in church activities, recover through social networks friends of childhood and youth, go out of the house to walk.
- Have a pet to take care of.
- Control alcohol and drug use that is more frequent than we imagine in the elderly.
- Exercise. Older adults have a great chance of having longer and healthier lives if they exercise, as exercise is an incredible technique to improve the quality of life, allows the person to be independent and makes them feel less alone.
If you have a family member who suffers from depression, or you suspect, I recommend you:
- Come to a therapeutic session to guide you in the process. CLICK TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT
- Share this article, so you will be helping others who feel identified with the topic.
