Skip to content
  • Quiz
  • Tools
  • Test
  • Research
  • Blogs
  • More
    Worksheets
    • Thank you Tree
    • Goal Setting
    • View All ->
    Health Conditions
    • Alzheimer’s Disease
    • Gambling Disorder
    • View All ->
    Downloadables
    • Anxiety Level Self-Evaluation
    • Depression Measure
    • View All ->
Menu
  • Quiz
  • Tools
  • Test
  • Research
  • Blogs
  • Worksheets
  • Health Conditions
  • Downloadables

Home » Blogs » Geriatric Depression

  • Anxiety & Depression

Geriatric Depression

Reviewed By: Varsha Vartak |
  • Reviewed By: Varsha Vartak
  • Author: admin
  • Published on January 3, 2022
Geriatric Depression
Table of Contents

Geriatric population includes older adults of and above the age of 65 years. This age group includes the adults who have retired from their jobs, have established and nourished their families and now are spending their days reaping the benefits of their hard work. 

Unfortunately, many of these older adults face depression which usually goes undiagnosed, only 10% of those facing depression get treatment for it. It leads to deterioration of their already fragile health and even premature death. 

The types of depressive disorders in geriatric population are Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), Persistent Depressive Disorder (PDD/Dysthymia), Substance Induced Depressive Disorder, Depressive Disorder due to Medical Condition. 

What are the Symptoms of Geriatric Depression?

The symptoms noted in geriatric depression may differ slightly from that of clinical depression. Some of these symptoms are often misunderstood as โ€œthe result of old ageโ€. These include:

  • Persistent sadness for more than two weeks
  • Excessive worrying
  • Frequent crying
  • Weight changes
  • Excessive fatigue
  • Difficulty sleeping
  • Loss of self worth 
  • Feelings of worthlessness and guilt
  • Memory problems
  • Difficulty making decisions
  • Excessive fidgeting
  • Increased irritability
  • Unexplained or aggravated pain or ache
  • Suicidal tendency/Fixation on death
  • Ignorance towards personal care and hygiene

Are there any Risk Factors?

Geriatric depression, like any other mental illness, has some risk factors which makes a person meeting that criteria more prone to that illness. The risk factors of geriatric depression being:

  • Women are at a higher risk of suffering from depression
  • Being a widowed, divorced, unmarried
  • Lack of family and social support
  • Past experiences of traumas
  • Previous history of depression
  • Family history of mood disorders
  • History of suicide attempts
  • Disability
  • Recent loss of loved one
  • Substance abuse
  • Presence of chronic illness or pain
  • Social isolation
  • Change in lifestyle, settings
  • Lack of physical activity

What are the Causes of Geriatric Depression?

Each individual case may have a different cause, but some of the most common causes of geriatric depression are:

  • Health problems such as thyroid disorders, Parkinsonโ€™s disease, dementia, Alzheimerโ€™s disease, stroke, cancer, paralysis
  • Loneliness or isolation from your own family and friends
  • Reduced sense of purpose in life after years of striving
  • Fear of death 
  • Recent major loss which includes people close to you or material things like property, money, cherished possessions
  • Ignorance or ill-treatment from family
  • Living away from home in an old-age home setting
  • Inadequate sleep causes an imbalance in our hormones and leads to depression

Can Geriatric Depression be Treated?

  • Psychotherapy is the most important part of the treatment with or without the medications. It is sufficient for depression at mild or moderate levels. 
  • Medication includes antidepressants. The choice of antidepressants depends on the patients current health conditions. Antidepressants may be addictive for geriatric population hence only severe cases of depression are recommended medication. 
  • Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) is the final option after all the other treatments have failed to make progress. Since older adults are fragile and vulnerable, ECT is avoided unless extremely required. 
  • Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) is also one of the extreme treatments for depression. It includes magnetic waves to activate the brain. 

Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS)

The Geriatric Depression Scale Long Form created by Yessavage et al is a 30 item questionnaire with responses in yes or no format. The Short Form consists of 15 items and takes 5 to 7 minutes to finish therefore it is used for those with physical illness and moderate dementia catering to their low attention spans. Some are positively framed and some are negatively framed. 

The GDS is only a screening tool which can be used as proof for presence of depression. It does not assess suicidality and therefore is no substitute for the diagnostic interview by a mental health professional.

Read more :

Teen Depression: Why Do Many Teenagers Feel Depressed?

How to Cope with Depression?

What is Depression?

Strengthening Spousal Bonds

Overcoming Toxic Relationships

A Way Out Of Toxic Relationships

Psychotherapies to Treat Depression

What is Clinical Depression? Causes and Symptoms.

Boon and Bane of Breaks in Relationship.

Share :

Get the Diagnosis

Public Fear Detector
Unwilling to step out into public? This quiz will help you rate your phobia of crowds and open spaces.
Take Quiz

Get the Diagnosis

Bulimia Check
Are you overly obsessed with your weight and food intake? Take the Bulimia Check quiz to assess yourself foe the eating disorder.
Take Quiz

Related Read

Loneliness: Causes and Its Impact on Health

Loneliness: Causes and Its Impact on Health

Loneliness: Isolation Amidst A Crowd

Loneliness: Isolation Amidst A Crowd

Cognitive Dissonance and Confirmation Bias

Cognitive Dissonance and Confirmation Bias

Magic Decoded

Magic Decoded

Table of Contents

Frequently Asked Questions

Which age group does geriatric include?

Geriatric population includes those adults of ages 65 years and above.

Is it good to give antidepressants to older adults?

Antidepressants generally have side effects. The psychiatrist has to take the age, health conditions and other ongoing medication into consideration before he prescribes antidepressants to a geriatric patient. During severe depression, antidepressants are a must.ย 

References

  1. Bonnie Wiese. (2011). Geriatric Depression. BCMJ. https://bcmj.org/articles/geriatric-depression-use-antidepressants-elderly
  2. Debra Fulghum Brice. (2020). Depression in Older People. WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/depression/guide/depression-elderly
  3. Lawrence Robinson. Melinda Smith. Jeanne Segal. (2021). Depression in Older Adults.HelpGuide. https://www.helpguide.org/articles/depression/depression-in-older-adults.htm
  4. Sherry A Greenberg. Geriatric Depression Scale. Hartford Institute of Geriatric Nursing. New York University. https://hign.org/consultgeri/try-this-series/geriatric-depression-scale-gdsย 
  5. https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/depression-and-older-adults
  6. https://www.aagponline.org/index.php?src=gendocs&ref=depress

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Useful Links
  • About Us
  • Careers
  • Contact Us
  • Community
  • About Us
  • Careers
  • Contact Us
  • Community
Resources
  • Blog
  • Quiz
  • Health Conditions
  • Stories
  • Tools
  • Downloadables
  • Challenges
  • Research
  • Newsroom
  • Worksheets
  • Blog
  • Quiz
  • Health Conditions
  • Stories
  • Tools
  • Downloadables
  • Challenges
  • Research
  • Newsroom
  • Worksheets
About Us

Arising from a need to spread awareness about mental health and tackle it with information and the right guidance, Ananda.ai is a passion project that aims to build a more aware and open minded society and to help those in need with assessment tests, blogs, reliable diagnosis, expert advice… More About Us

  • support@ananda.ai
If you are a farmer and in a life threatening situation – Call : +91 91757 57277 | Know More
Accessible mental health for everyone. Anytime, anywhere, with the best online mental health platform in india
  • ยฉ2023 Aarogyaananda Pvt. Ltd.
  • Terms
  • Privacy Policy
  • Refund Policy
  • ยฉ2023 Aarogyaananda Pvt. Ltd.
  • Terms
  • Privacy Policy
  • Refund Policy
Youtube Instagram Facebook Twitter Linkedin