It is important to prevent depression after retirement

• Why does depression occur in older people and what are the risk factors?
• How does depression in older people differ from dementia?
• How to Diagnose and Treat Depression in Older Adults
• What are the consequences of depression in older people?

Old people... They are always dissatisfied, they grumble, you can’t please them. Sound familiar? But few people realize that our relatives simply need help. Depression in older people is not a condition of everyday life, but a mental illness, and the most common one today. One thing is good: she can be defeated, she will retreat with proper treatment. What can you do to prevent depression from affecting you or your elderly relatives and friends? What to do if signs of this disease appear? Could what we are seeing be depression? We hope our article will help you get an elderly person out of this state.

Why depression occurs in older people

“Not my day”, “a bad streak”, “I didn’t have a good morning”... There are many more excuses for the onset of depression. This is what psychologists began to call a long-term mental state of gloomy hopelessness. This mental disorder manifests itself in the loss of adequate perception of reality. Everything seems dreary, the mood is at zero. What used to make you happy is now annoying. You pushed your beloved dog away, were rude to your friends, you don’t want to move, everything is in black, pessimistic thoughts arise, crosswords, embroidery, violets on the window are abandoned, self-esteem is so low that you can only feel sorry for yourself. Some try to find solace in alcohol or other psychotropic substances.

What is associated with depression in adulthood? What pushes a person towards it?

1. Let's start with the fact that older people react very painfully to everything. But this is not harmful, as many people think. What caused mild annoyance in youth can provoke depression and nervous breakdown in adulthood. Stress, severe fatigue, situations that cause various breakdowns greatly deplete the reserves of all body systems. He has difficulty adapting to stimuli. An elderly man has difficulty hearing, he has to constantly ask again, half of the words in a conversation pass him by. Finally, he begins to avoid communication and withdraws into himself.
2. How will you feel if something constantly hurts or bothers you? Not fun, right? People of mature age, unfortunately, accumulate a lot of somatic pathologies. When visiting a doctor, an elderly person often hears: “What do you want? Age!". Illness, poor health, the attitude of doctors and others - all this can trigger the mechanism of depression. There are also pathologies in which older people are at increased risk. These are cerebrovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus, abnormalities in the thyroid gland, and arterial hypertension.
3. Many people look forward to approaching retirement age with fear, but it is not physical weakness and illness that scares them. They are afraid of social isolation, since upon completion of their work activity the usual way of life changes sharply, and a feeling of unfitness and loss appears. It’s as if you fell out of a fast train at full speed and were left standing on an empty platform, watching the disappearing bright, noisy train. It was as if the illnesses were waiting and appeared immediately. Here, depression can overtake those who spent most of their lives at work or in their careers, and most often men. Elderly women adapt more easily to their new free status, finding themselves in dacha care, next to their grandchildren, and traveling.
4. Another problem for older people is loneliness. Only recently in the evenings your place was noisy and crowded: work problems were discussed, children demanded care and attention, plans were made for the weekend with friends. But now the house is empty, the grown children have their own families and interests, and no one is waiting at work. Friends, also elderly people, are busy with their illnesses, remind of themselves less and less often, and some are no longer there at all. The social circle is narrowing, loneliness with gloomy thoughts is approaching. Elderly women endure this condition more difficult, since they are the center of the universe called “Family”. Single women, divorced or widowed, suffer from emotional emptiness.
5. How tempting it can be to cure ailments with one pill! This opinion also exists in the treatment of depressive conditions. You feel sad - take the medicine, and now you are cheerful and full of strength. Such a dismissively easy solution to problems with depression only strengthens the disease. Taking medications, even as recommended by a doctor, can trigger another wave of distress. And even more dangerous is the use of antidepressants on the advice of grandmothers at the entrance or a neighbor in the country. Severe cases are known when treated with antihypertensive drugs (dicogsin, methyldop, beta blockers), corticosteroids (prednisolone), analgesics, and sleeping pills.

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Depression in older people: who is first at risk?

Who is not at risk of depression, and who among mature people should think about:

• Elderly women. Men turned out to be stronger and more resistant to depressive disorders.
• Lonely people, because they sorely lack the attention of others and the care of loved ones.
• Alcohol abusers or those with experience of taking narcotic drugs.
• People who have suffered a serious illness or stressful situations, for example, a change of place of residence (they moved their old mother to the city, who had worked all her life in the countryside), who have lost relatives and friends.
• Having suicidal attempts.
• Sick elderly people. The focus is on hypertension, heart attack, diabetes. Such patients need to be given special attention.
• Those whose relatives suffered from depression of various types, or they themselves struggled with this disorder in the past.
• Elderly people with disabilities who have some visible defect.

If you have discovered the presence of at least one sign, then this is already a reason to think about it. If there are several of them, it is necessary to act so that your elderly relatives are not left without attention and care, alone in the face of a terrible disease.

How does depression in older people differ from dementia?

Externally, depression and dementia are very similar conditions, the main difference being that the first disease is reversible and therefore requires treatment. However, they can and should be able to be identified. Let's start with depression. It can affect memory, causing an elderly person to become absent-minded and lost in space.

Dementia (dementia) is a serious disease that affects the brain. By saying “of sound mind and sound memory,” we emphasize that it is absent. Indeed, for an elderly person it is important that with age, speech, attention, and the ability to accumulate, retain and reproduce existing knowledge and skills remain at the same level. Otherwise, his life will become very complicated: his habits will change (what he previously liked will cause disgust), his restrained character will become hot-tempered. Such people have difficulty caring for themselves and very often fall into depression.

Below is a table that gives a clear picture of the similarities and differences between dementia and depression (LJ Cohen, 1999).

Depression in older people and its types

• If we are talking about congenital or acquired defects of the nervous system, then these are organic depressions.
• If the disorders are caused by traumatic events (problems at home, worries at work, loss of a loved one), then we are talking about psychogenic depression.
• If depression is detected in elderly people with diseases of the respiratory system, cardiovascular system, visual organs, or oncology, then it will undoubtedly be of a somatogenic nature. This type of mental disorder manifests itself especially often in medical institutions with long stays.
• Hereditary predisposition, internal pathogenic factors, with increased influence of external circumstances on them, give endogenous affective deviations ( bipolar and unipolar depressive disorders ).
• Long-term use of certain medications can lead to iatrogenic depression. There are opponents and supporters of this theory. In the same vein, we can talk about the body’s reactions to careless medical opinions.

Depression in older people and its signs

Depression in older people varies in symptoms. Older patients do not show emotional manifestations; they are often closed and withdrawn. Older people are more concerned about physical conditions, for example, fear of developing a disorder such as Alzheimer's disease.

Negative emotions, of course, do not disappear anywhere, but they look natural due to the lack of support and care of loved ones, disappointment in people, etc.

Let's try to understand the fears that are the main signs of approaching depression in older people:

• The difference between depression in a young person and an elderly person is that the latter lives in the past. If a void has formed around, then it is filled, most often, with negative memories, turning into a mental disorder that torments and torments the patient. The person replays the difficult situation over and over again, returning and multiplying anxiety and anxiety.
• Anxiety is an essential component of depression in older people. After comparing the research results, scientists confirmed this assumption. In the group of young people (under 35 years of age), only a third of those surveyed noted anxiety, and in the group of patients over 55 years of age, 70% confirmed the presence of anxiety, fears, and painful forebodings.
• It would seem that meeting the sun and the morning hours bring joy, but in the case of depression the opposite is true. The state of depression in elderly patients is especially noticeable in the morning and subsides towards evening.
• Depressed patients are characterized by slowness of movement and inhibited thinking. They are focused on themselves, on their inner feelings. It seems that these people are exploring their body from the inside, trying to figure out the problem of the origin of this or that pain.
• Indifference to the world around you, alternating with bouts of melancholy detachment are clear symptoms of a deep degree of depression.

Possible social reasons

In addition to the main and associated reasons that we have described, there are additional social aspects that are present in the life of every second person and have a strong influence on him. Depression in old age can occur due to the death or illness of a spouse, separation from children, loss of work and social status. It seems that this is quite normal, but these moments, along with what we listed above, have a pressing effect on a person, which can only be resisted consciously. To do this, you need to analyze and accept the situation, and then direct your thoughts and actions in a certain direction. The situation is aggravated by the fact that all events occur almost simultaneously, not allowing the person to come to his senses and come to his senses.

What are the clear symptoms of depression in older people?

What should we be wary of, what should we pay attention to?

1. For a depressed elderly person, everything is bad: prices are rising, cars are only trying to splash mud, the rain is wet, the sun is hot. Constant criticism, irritation, dissatisfaction with oneself, with you, apathy - the patient will explain all these changes in mood reasonably, but will not even allow the thought of a possible pathology of his nervous system.
2. Going somewhere or doing anything is problematic for an elderly person. A routine routine visit to the hospital causes a storm of indignation in a patient with signs of depression. Another symptom is decreased activity and loss of social contacts.
3. He gets up at night, wanders around, reads magazines, falls asleep in the morning, frustrated all day. There is no appetite, even your favorite buns with a crispy crust are not delightful. Sleep disturbance and loss of appetite in an elderly person are the third sign of incipient depression.
4. He has difficulty remembering why he has a pencil and notepad in his hand, why he took a calendar, and does not go to the store without a list of two products. Of course, this can happen to anyone, and perhaps an older person only has senile dementia, but it is also a symptom of a mental disorder.
5. During periods of depression, older people most often complain of feeling unwell. About 90% of all patients showed signs of deteriorating health.
6. Even from a closet full of clothes, you will not be able to throw out a single torn sock. You will hear that you are taking away the most necessary things from an old sick person, leaving him in poverty. The acquisition of new useful things also causes indignation and indignation: why buy an electric kettle if you can get by just fine with a jar with a boiler? Pathological hoarding is another sign of depression in older people. But it should not be confused with reasonable frugality.
7. They opened the window - you want to catch a cold, they closed it - it made it stuffy, they asked what should be done - they blamed everything on him, they didn’t ask - no one is interested in his opinion. This is not harmful or a test of your nerves. This is a conversation, attracting attention, an opportunity to spend more time with you. Accusations from an elderly person against their loved ones is a rather acute and conflicting problem. Here you need to be patient, because it is unknown how depression will treat you and how lenient your family will be.

How is depression diagnosed in older people?

Reading these lines, many older people will confidently say: “This is not my case” - and they will be right. Diagnosing depression is very difficult. It appears and disappears again. Doctors cannot determine the presence of this disease using tests; they will only show the physical condition of your body. Therefore, to diagnose depression in older people, a simple but at the same time effective method is used - conversation, conversation.

A specialist determines the presence of pathology using several methods:

• Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale.
• Beck scale.

For self-assessment, you can use the Zung scale. Tables using this method are filled out by the patient himself, which confirms the accuracy and subjectivity of the results. An elderly person with signs of depression needs to honestly answer questions about the frequency of anxiety, obsessive, difficult thoughts, appearance, and favorite activities. These are simple multiple-choice questions, the sum of which provides an explanation of the condition.

If the severity of the disease requires treatment and monitoring, doctors use the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) and the Manngomery-Asberg Rating Scale (MADRS).

Causes of depression in old age

Loneliness is one of the most common causes of depression in old age

Such characteristic symptoms of depression as feelings of guilt, increased anxiety and neurasthenia are most often not given much importance by either the patients themselves or their relatives. The latter, in most cases, are confident that such symptoms are common in old age.

Pensioners most often complain of pain in the internal organs. And against the background of such ailments, secondary depression may develop in older people. The causes of its appearance are most often damage to the blood vessels of the brain and heart, cancer, infections and endocrine diseases.

People who are deprived of the support of family and friends, have one main disease and several concomitant ones are primarily susceptible to severe depressive states.

Important! According to statistics, elderly patients are much more likely to commit suicide than young people.

The main cause of depression in old age is age-related changes occurring in the nervous system. Over the years, the nervous system is subject to exhaustion, as a result of which an elderly person reacts more acutely to stimuli. Depression can occur even with the slightest overexertion or stress.

Other reasons for the development of depressive conditions are:

1. Diseases. In old age, people develop a whole bunch of diseases, which cannot but affect their well-being. Pain, weakness, difficulties with movement - all this significantly limits the physical capabilities of the patient. The result is a depressed emotional state.
2. Retirement. For most people, the development of depression is associated precisely with retirement. However, instead of relief, a person feels parting with his usual activities, feels unnecessary, as a result of which his chronic diseases may worsen. The patient will miss communication with others, and he will be unable to fill the gaps with new activities.
3. Lost opportunities. It is upon reaching old age that a person most often begins to regret what he did not do earlier. There comes a persistent realization that most of life was not at all what I wanted. The realization that nothing can be fixed most often unsettles an elderly person.
4. Medicinal effects. Older people often take a lot of medications, which can cause them to develop secondary depression. Sleeping pills, antihypertensive and corticosteroid drugs can cause such side effects.
5. Loneliness. This is one of the most common causes of senile depression. A person’s social circle decreases, he begins to rarely meet with his family, which cannot but affect his emotional state. Such people feel useless, which causes severe depression. It should be understood that it is much more difficult for an elderly person to make new acquaintances than for a young person. The gradual narrowing of the social circle leads to complete loneliness.

The most difficult thing for an elderly person to cope with is the loss of family ties. Over time, children devote less and less time to the elderly, taking care of their own families. If a person’s spouse dies, this can drive him into severe depression.

Depression in older people – treatment is possible!

Alleviating the course of the disease in a patient with depression and direct therapy is a rather complex process. Why? Because an elderly patient rarely agrees to admit his diagnosis, but if the pathology is not treated, it will break the person both morally and physically. As a rule, older people are afraid of being branded abnormal and being isolated. Success is possible if a trusting relationship has developed with the doctor, and the patient longs for recovery and is ready to follow all the doctor’s instructions for this purpose. Treatment consists of three components: replacing your lifestyle with a healthy one, medications, and working with a psychotherapist. Many people also add traditional methods here. More about all this below.

Treatment with traditional methods

Some people trust natural herbs, infusions, and decoctions more than synthesized drugs. Of course, folk remedies do not give side effects and are not addictive, but before using them you should definitely consult a doctor. This is very important when treating elderly patients.

Here are the most popular recipes :

St. John's wort for depression

St. John's wort is an excellent natural antidepressant. Infuse 20 grams of St. John's wort and the same amount of dried oregano into alcohol (250 ml). Add coriander seeds and thyme. After two weeks, take the tincture out of a cool, dark place and strain. We begin to take a drop a day, gradually increasing the dose to a teaspoon, washed down with water.

Calming infusion of mint and lemon balm

You need to mix two types of herbs. Then you need to take a tablespoon of their mixture and pour a glass of boiling water. Let cool and brew. We drink the resulting broth in the morning, afternoon and evening, dividing this glass into three parts.

Motherwort and valerian

These folk remedies are considered leaders in relieving nervous tension. Motherwort and valerian are sold in every pharmacy. The dosage is indicated on the packaging.

St. John's wort, rosemary, lemon balm and blueberry

Four types of grass are taken in equal parts. One tablespoon of this entire mixture is poured with boiling water and brewed for half an hour in a glass. After which the infusion is drunk with honey, like tea.

In addition, decoctions of chamomile, fennel flowers, anise, and lavender have a good calming effect. They can also be purchased at the pharmacy. Brew and drink like tea.

Medications for depression in older people

It’s great if depression has subsided after using folk remedies, but sometimes the use of medications is required. Modern antidepressant complexes are at your service here. These are long-familiar tricyclic and tetracyclic drugs. Improved antidepressants that block side effects have also appeared on the market - selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and reversible MAO-A inhibitors.

Effective drugs help overcome the disease, but when prescribing them, it is worth taking into account the individual characteristics of each patient. The correct dosage and compatibility with other dosage forms are more than important when treating an elderly person.

The most popular antidepressants for older people today are:

• Atarax . This antidepressant is good because it is not addictive or dependent. It is effective for anxiety disorders that occur against the background of neurological and mental illnesses. Supports the functioning of the nervous system.
• Leviron. One of the safest drugs for elderly patients. Why? Because it provides a pronounced sedative effect. Can be used for all types of depression.
• Melipramine is prescribed to increase the mental and general tone of the body, motor activity and mood. Indications are depression, accompanied by apathy, melancholy, sleep and appetite disorders.
• Tsipramil is suitable for use in the presence of concomitant somatic diseases, suitable for long-term use, and has sedative and antidepressant effects.

But that is not all. Sometimes doctors prescribe nootropics, antihypertensives and antispasmodics that block panic attacks and unreasonable anxiety.

Another fact confirming the need for therapy under the supervision of a doctor is that, to be on the safe side and out of habit, elderly patients often take Corvalol or Valocordin before bed, which should not be done. These drugs not only interfere with the action of antidepressants, but can also cause a deterioration in well-being.

Psychotherapy

Only in films do we see how a psychotherapist accepts a patient and helps him get out of the crisis. In real life, older people are categorically against such treatment methods, but, having yielded to the persuasion of their relatives, many of them are convinced of the effectiveness of the practical help of a specialist. The consequences of depression are successfully corrected through a whole complex of cognitive-behavioural, interpersonal and family psychotherapy for elderly patients.

Electroconvulsive therapy

What to do when time is lost and neither medications nor a psychotherapist help? Depression destroys an elderly person, there is a threat to life, have there been any suicide attempts? Electroconvulsive therapy, otherwise called electroconvulsive therapy, is a method of psychiatric and neurological therapy in which, in order to achieve a therapeutic effect, an electric current is passed through the patient's brain, which causes a seizure.

Electroconvulsive therapy for the treatment of nervous disorders has been around for a long time. She has been saving the lives of elderly patients with severe depression for more than 70 years. This method of biological stress remains one of the most relevant means and is a worthy alternative to psychopharmacotherapy.

Treatment

If you suspect depression in your elderly relative, you should not immediately tell him this categorically, and actively suggest examination by a psychiatrist: first, go with him to a therapist, cardiologist, endocrinologist, who should give a conclusion that the examined organs show only age-related changes. Be sure to visit a neurologist, who will not only examine you, but also prescribe a Doppler examination of the vessels supplying the brain, as well as an MRI.

Having started the treatment prescribed by the doctors who examined your relative, tactfully suggest that he see another specialist, a psychotherapist (it’s better not to say the word “psychiatrist”). Explain this by saying that this doctor understands how to treat a depressed state, without which the disturbing organ cannot be cured. You can also invite your local psychiatrist home to conduct an examination.

Depression in older people is treated by a psychiatrist, often together with a neurologist. These specialists decide whether it is necessary to start immediately with the prescription of antidepressant drugs, or whether the effect can only be obtained from non-drug therapy.

Drug treatment

Usually, immediate prescription of antidepressants is resorted to when it is believed that depression is severe (a psychiatrist decides on this), or the patient refuses to eat and drink, or he has suicidal thoughts. The choice of drug can only be made by a doctor who will take into account the effect of the antidepressant on the cognitive sphere of your relative. The drugs of choice for the elderly most often are Citalopram, Sertraline, and Fevarin.

At first, patients have an extremely negative attitude towards taking medications: they believe that doctors do not know what to treat them for, and “hit” them with pills “at random.” The relative’s task is to patiently explain the need for medications and also give them according to the schedule, making sure that the relative takes them accurately. Packages of pills will have to be hidden.

With precise selection of the drug, a rapid improvement in the condition is observed while taking it. In this case, the elderly person will take the pills himself. If within 2-3 weeks all symptoms remain the same, repeated consultations with a psychiatrist and neurologist are necessary. If there are complaints about the functioning of internal organs, you need to be examined by a therapist.

Non-drug treatment

It is necessary to connect - regardless of whether the doctor decided to prescribe antidepressants or not - and requires patience on the part of relatives.

Non-drug treatment includes psychotherapy, behavioral therapy, and, if necessary, electroconvulsive therapy. The first and third types of treatment are performed by qualified specialists. Behavioral therapy becomes the sole concern of caregivers. We'll talk about her.

1. You need to take an elderly relative with you if you live separately. You can move in with him for a while. Without this measure, it is possible to cure the patient only if depression has just begun, it proceeds quite easily (according to the doctor) and it did not arise as a result of cerebral vascular disease.
2. Establish a clear daily routine. At a certain time, get up, exercise, hygiene procedures, walks, engage in some kind of activity (embroidery, collecting sailboat models - something that interests the patient), daytime nap, massage. An elderly person should not have unorganized free time, during which he could indulge in sorrowful thoughts.
3. Physical exercise should be a must in your daily routine. Gymnastics and active walks create “muscular joy”: the more impulses from the muscles go to the brain, the more endorphins are produced, the faster it recovers.

   

   Physical exercise should be a must in your daily routine. They can be anything: from pull-ups and running in place to breathing exercises, arm swings and self-massage.

4. The patient's diet should be varied, including more fresh vegetables and fruits, as well as protein-rich foods (meat, fish). Dishes with fried, spicy, salted and pickled foods should be as small as possible.
5. In a home where an elderly person with depression lives, there should be as much free space as possible. Due to his condition, as well as the medications he takes, he is at high risk of falls, and at this age this is unacceptable and can lead to prolonged immobilization and a huge number of complications. Therefore, place the father or mother in a room with a minimum of furniture, with carpets on the floor that could soften the fall. Accompany your relative more often, taking his arm.
6. Do something you love with the patient, having equipped the necessary workplace for this. If a relative has suicidal thoughts, the work should not be performed with a piercing instrument.
7. Hide all medications, household and garden chemicals, reagents, sharp knives, and ropes from the patient. So that he can cut food, leave table knives. Everything else should be securely hidden.
8. Often turn on calm music that is pleasant for your relative, preferably classical.
9. Spend more time with your elderly relative, preferably walking in the fresh air, for example, in forested areas. Listen to his experiences and memories, show that you care. Any falsehood is unacceptable - the old man senses this and, instead of opening up, withdraws into himself and stops making contact. Therefore, if it is very difficult to listen to already known stories from life, try to “contract” a child to do this: a grandson, great-grandson, a more distant relative. The child must treat his grandparents well, and in his presence it is necessary to demonstrate in every possible way that the elderly person is a very respected part of the family. Then, when the patient can be “taken out” of his “shell,” adult family members should join in the communication.
10. Provide the patient with the opportunity to communicate with peers who do not suffer from depression. You can attend dance evenings organized for older people, or organize similar events yourself. Before such a “ball,” let your father or mother dress up, take him to the hairdresser or invite a hairdresser to your home.
11. Praise the patient more often: his clothes, new achievements.
12. Ask the opinion of an older person, show him that he is an authority, especially in those issues where he really is an expert.

    

13. Look at old photographs more often that may not cause negativity.
14. Be sure to monitor the patient’s blood pressure level, and if you have diabetes, monitor your glucose level.
15. Try not to give sleeping pills unless necessary: ​​many such pills can worsen depression. It’s better to have a good walk before bed, then take a warm bath and give him warm milk.
16. “Allergy” medications such as “Suprastin”, “Tavegil”, “Diphenhydramine” do not need to be given. It is better to use selective antihistamines: Cetrin, Fenistil, Erius, which will not give a sedative effect.
17. If a relative has new negative thoughts, especially suicidal thoughts, be sure to contact the psychiatrist who is observing him. You may need a course of psychotherapy or a change in medications.

Of course, treating depression in an elderly parent is a complex and time-consuming process. It becomes much more complicated if you, being a very busy person, cannot constantly be near the patient. The inability to at least occasionally communicate with peers who would share his views on life, as well as too infrequent examinations by a neurologist and psychiatrist who could adjust treatment in time, can also delay the recovery process. In this case, the solution is to undergo treatment in a specialized geriatric center. Here the elderly person will be under the supervision of medical personnel, communicate with peers, and be examined by a neurologist. In such a center, psychologists work with older people, physical procedures are performed, they are given the necessary medications and treatment is adjusted in a timely manner. The staff's efforts are also aimed at actively involving your loved one in social life, preventing him from sitting and being sad.

Thus, treatment of the underlying disease that caused depression, drug correction of the depressed state itself is only part of the therapy. An active and clear daily routine, communication, and psychological support should help your loved one regain his or her self as quickly as possible.

How to help an elderly person get out of depression

Only the comfort and warmth of home will help an elderly person overcome his illness. The attention of the whole family and care, words of gratitude and praise for help in housekeeping are priceless in the treatment of this serious illness. The patient must constantly feel the care and support of adult children and grandchildren, his importance and necessity for people dear to him. Old age can be a joyful period in a person’s life if he sees his importance and feels love from relatives.

Older people need constant encouragement. There is nothing warmer than words like these: “You did some difficult exercises today!”, “What beautiful embroidery!”, “Can I sit next to you and watch?”, “How does this blouse suit you, you look 10 years younger!” Sincere interest in their past has a very beneficial effect on patients. You will discover many amazing facts from your family history. Ask the older person to tell about his relatives, childhood, places where he lived in his youth, past work, interests. You will be amazed at what an amazing, heroic and at the same time humble person lives in the next apartment. Your admiring glance and shown interest can create a miracle. It is very good to look together at old photographs of the places where a person was born, lived, and worked, especially those in which he is depicted in strength, while performing socially significant work. This always improves self-esteem. At the same time, older people must feel your interest.

Prevention

Prevention of depression in old age should include adequate social, medicinal and family support for the person.

After retirement, a person greatly needs support from people close to him. Under no circumstances should it be shown that the pensioner can no longer do anything or is no longer needed by anyone. Try to communicate with him more often. Seek advice (especially on issues in which he is competent) with requests.

Sometimes pensioners are asked for help with their grandchildren. We need to take them to school, to clubs, and monitor the completion of lessons. There is nothing bad or selfish on the part of the children in this. Of course, if the older generation wants to provide such assistance. Likewise, grandchildren spend more time with their grandparents, and the elderly person feels in demand.

The greatest danger in terms of developing depression are those elderly people who have recently lost their significant other or a child. Their condition must be carefully monitored, supported, and helped.

Not every elderly person can adequately assess the state of their health. Many patients with diabetes stubbornly refuse to follow a diet. And patients with hypertension do not control their blood pressure. Is something similar observed in any of your loved ones? Try to calmly explain how important it is to monitor your health and follow your doctor’s recommendations. After all, only a healthy mind lives in a healthy body.

Depression in older people and its consequences

Not treating depression in older people is inviting disaster. This pathology significantly shortens the patient’s life and can lead to heart attack, coronary heart disease and other cardiovascular diseases. Depression can trigger type II diabetes. Such patients poorly comply with the treatment regimen for the underlying disease and do not maintain close contact with the doctor. Elderly people do not enjoy the new day, they are increasingly visited by thoughts about the end of life, and they find it difficult to concentrate. If depression is left without treatment, relationships with loved ones will deteriorate due to the patient’s increased anxiety. Due to frequent scandals, misunderstandings of the problem, reproaches and worries, it will be bad for both him and his family. In an elderly person, feelings of guilt and loneliness worsen, suicidal thoughts appear, and a desire to rid loved ones of oneself as a burden appears.

Signs of Depression

At the initial stage, there is a sharp change in mood. The patient loses his appetite, develops insomnia, and develops a panicky feeling of fear or approaching death. This occurs due to a strong emotional shift, perhaps influenced by another psychological disease characteristic of older people, namely, insanity.

One way or another, after the primary signs, various forms of depressive delirium develop - condemnation, punishment, death, or suicidal tendencies appear.

An indicative emotional state appears. The patient shows all experienced emotions visually. If he experiences fear, his hands tremble and he sweats profusely. Almost a similar situation with worry, or despair.

Sometimes motor numbness appears. In other words, an elderly person is very constrained in his movements. This is mainly due to a loss of control over one's own emotions and feelings. Unreasonable panic fear may develop, self-judgment may suddenly begin, or other manifestations that are not characteristic of a person.

We can conclude that depression manifests itself not only in the psyche, but also has a direct impact on the patient’s physiology.