Depression in Old Age
Introduction
Often times, old age is viewed as a time of rest, reflection and a chance to really appreciate the family and friends one still has around them. Nevertheless, this is not always the case in many older adults. Depression and suicide are two causes of death that are increasing in prevalence for all age groups. They are also on the rise in a specific age group, that of older adults. Depression in elderly adults, although prevalent, is under-diagnosed and under-treated. In order to address this concern, it is extremely important to develop a better understanding of the life of an elderly adult by examining their thought processes and overall quality of life. Understanding will increase the ability to alleviate …show more content…
Suicide rates are one of the top leading causes of death all around the world for all age groups, and it continues to trend upward in persons with limited social interaction. More than 90% of elderly patients who die by suicide also have depression or mental illness. (Wright, 2016). Unfortunately, many elderly people do not become satisfied with the life that they have lived, and will experience feelings of regret and worthlessness. This will impact self-esteem and overall mood of their everyday life. These dark thoughts can lead to much bigger problems, that can ultimately lead to suicide. One of the main risks of depression in the elderly is that often times, they do not have the full cognitive ability to express themselves and explain the way their feeling. This older population may present to the emergency department with various somatic and cognitive changes such as memory loss, distractibility, irritability, and disorientation instead of the more common depressive symptoms (Wright, 2016). As a result of this miscommunication, depression can be overlooked. Depression constitutes the most important factor …show more content…
Although people often associate social media as a destructive tool, it can be very useful when you use it correctly. As clients become older, their memory usually begins to degenerate. Social media such as, Facebook can become very beneficial when elderly clients feel as they no longer have connections with family members or old friends. This relates back to isolation. When a client feels isolated from the rest of the world, depressive symptoms may occur. Some elderly clients live away from their home and do not see family often. So this is a great tool. Technology also benefits nurses and health care professionals by bettering their understanding of the mental illness. There are many great resources online that provide accurate and reliable information. Technology is always advancing and new resources are constantly being developed. As time goes on, our goal is that depression in elderly adults will no longer be under-diagnosed.
Introduction
Often times, old age is viewed as a time of rest, reflection and a chance to really appreciate the family and friends one still has around them. Nevertheless, this is not always the case in many older adults. Depression and suicide are two causes of death that are increasing in prevalence for all age groups. They are also on the rise in a specific age group, that of older adults. Depression in elderly adults, although prevalent, is under-diagnosed and under-treated. In order to address this concern, it is extremely important to develop a better understanding of the life of an elderly adult by examining their thought processes and overall quality of life. Understanding will increase the ability to alleviate …show more content…
Suicide rates are one of the top leading causes of death all around the world for all age groups, and it continues to trend upward in persons with limited social interaction. More than 90% of elderly patients who die by suicide also have depression or mental illness. (Wright, 2016). Unfortunately, many elderly people do not become satisfied with the life that they have lived, and will experience feelings of regret and worthlessness. This will impact self-esteem and overall mood of their everyday life. These dark thoughts can lead to much bigger problems, that can ultimately lead to suicide. One of the main risks of depression in the elderly is that often times, they do not have the full cognitive ability to express themselves and explain the way their feeling. This older population may present to the emergency department with various somatic and cognitive changes such as memory loss, distractibility, irritability, and disorientation instead of the more common depressive symptoms (Wright, 2016). As a result of this miscommunication, depression can be overlooked. Depression constitutes the most important factor …show more content…
Although people often associate social media as a destructive tool, it can be very useful when you use it correctly. As clients become older, their memory usually begins to degenerate. Social media such as, Facebook can become very beneficial when elderly clients feel as they no longer have connections with family members or old friends. This relates back to isolation. When a client feels isolated from the rest of the world, depressive symptoms may occur. Some elderly clients live away from their home and do not see family often. So this is a great tool. Technology also benefits nurses and health care professionals by bettering their understanding of the mental illness. There are many great resources online that provide accurate and reliable information. Technology is always advancing and new resources are constantly being developed. As time goes on, our goal is that depression in elderly adults will no longer be under-diagnosed.