Depression In Older Adults Essay

There are many factors that contribute to depression in older adults. For example, losing a spouse or loved one. This includes family or friends. Losing a spouse can be especially depressing for an older adult. Having an intimate relationship with someone gives a person a companion to share feelings, ideas, and activities with on a daily basis. Losing this companion can be depressing. As peers begin dying around a person, he or she may come to the realization that their death own may also be close. Another example of why an older person is at great risk for depression is the loss of a job. When a person has a job to go to, he or she may feel more important. It also keeps them from being isolated from others. Another example is a decrease in the activities that a person has grown accustomed to performing due to the aging process.

Describe the circumstances that contribute to older adults with depression not being diagnosed and not receiving adequate treatment.

An older adult may be more unlikely to be aware of or access treatment for depression. In previous years there was a stigma that a person receiving treatment for a mental illness was crazy. The person becomes afraid to admit that there is a problem. Another reason for depression in older adults to go undiagnosed is because a primary care doctor may …show more content…
One of the treatments would be psychotherapy interventions. It is important to have another person to talk to who understands mental illness. This approach could include cognitive behavioral therapy, behavioral therapy, problem solving therapy, and interpersonal psychotherapy. Sometimes, using just one approach will not help find or resolve a problem that someone is having. When utilizing just one area, the root of the problem may not be found. Using different areas to discover and treat a problem, can lead to a better