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Depression
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Diagnosis and Treatment of Depression in the Elderly Diagnosis and Treatment of Depression in the Elderly Mental disorders are becoming more prevalent in todays society as people add stress and pressure to their daily lives. ... Depression in the elderly population is a common occurrence, yet the diagnosis and treatment seem to slip through the cracks. Depression is an example of a metal condition that may slip through the cracks when it comes to detection. The health care industry contributes to the overlooking of depression in the elderly because of the overwhelming desire to keep costs down. The factors of depression are open for interpretation, which results in different doctors looking for different things. In addition to that, elderly people may not exhibit the traditional symptoms of depression either. Aged individuals may have symptoms of depression that go unnoticed due the fact that those symptoms are being attributed to a different ailment. ... " Also, some of the things people look for in detecting depression are things that society seems to think are the norm for our elders (October 1999). In addition, there appear to be a few fundamental differences between depression in the young and old. ... Finally, older people tend to have more anxiety present in their depression than younger patients do (winter 1996). ... It is the increase in health problems that allows for some symptoms of depression to be overlooked. Doctors begin to attribute all problems and ailments to the primary problem, neglecting the possibility of depression. ... The correlation of depression with low blood pressure also increases as time passes, particularly among men. A study by Barrett-Connor and Palinkas indicated "men with low blood pressure scored significantly higher on both the emotional and physical items of a depression test (February 1994). ... Some believe that because low blood pressure can cause fatigue, anyone with these two symptoms could possibly be diagnosed with depression. ... Low blood pressure is not the only risk factor for the development of depression. ... Changes in the brain such as decreased adaptive capacity, neurotransmitter and receptor changes, cognitive impairment, and dementia increase the risk of depression (winter 1996). ... As previously mentioned, diagnosing depression in the elderly can be a challenging task due to all of the factors involved. ... In order to diagnose depression, there are written and oral inventories of a persons mind that need to be performed. Symptoms of severe depression include: diminished interest in usual activities, significant weight loss or gain, insomnia or hypersomnia, psychomotor agitation or retardation, fatigue or loss of energy, feelings of worthlessness or guilt, diminished ability to concentrate, and recurrent thoughts of death or suicide. Depression does not always have to be severe.
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Paper Information
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Title: Depression
Words: 2165
Rating: None
Pages: 8.7
submitted by: gazette08
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