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One of the most serious diseases that robs us of joy, energy, and the meaning of life is depression. Unfortunately, no one is immune from it: both adults and children, men and women - at any age we can face this unpleasant disease. WHO statistics warn: 7% of the elderly suffer from depression, and among people older than 60, almost 6% of all cases of disability are related to this disease in one way or another. Unfortunately, it is very easy to miss the first signs of depression in the elderly: character and habits often change with age, people spend more time alone, communicate less — and as a result, the disease is diagnosed at a late stage. We have collected a few facts about depression in the elderly that we should all know to better take care of our health and that of our loved ones.
Heart disease increases the likelihood of developing depression
Diseases of the heart and blood vessels (for example, hypertension) increase the risk of developing depression in old age - this was the conclusion of a group of scientists from the University of Cambridge led by researcher Golam Khandeker. The result of the study, which examined the health status and family history of more than 370 adults, confirmed that even one fatal case of heart disease in close relatives increases the likelihood of depression by 20%. Moreover, scientists have established that there is also a reverse relationship: depression can negatively affect the health of the cardiovascular system, increasing the risk of fatal diseases.
Retirement is the period of highest risk
The lion's share of depression in the elderly develops in the first year after retirement. This is influenced by a whole set of reasons: a sharp change in lifestyle, a decrease in the amount of communication, a loss of social status, as well as a worsening financial situation. In addition, often, after retirement, older people begin to lead a less active lifestyle, go out less often and spend less time outdoors, which can also be a trigger for depression.
People who experienced depression at a young age are at increased risk
If at a younger age a person faced depression, then later, faced with severe stress (for example, due to retirement, loss of a husband, a sudden change in lifestyle due to a serious illness), his psyche may react in a familiar way - depression. If you know that your older relatives have had episodes of depression in the past, you should pay special attention to them, especially during stressful and difficult periods of life.
In elderly people, depression can be determined by physiological signs
Absence or a strong decrease in appetite, weight loss, worsening of digestion, unexplained pain - all this can indicate that depression is developing. In older people, this disease often manifests primarily due to physiological, not emotional changes - and therefore it is important to carefully monitor how your close relatives are feeling.
The Internet and social media can help
In middle-aged people, the habit of spending time on social networks can trigger an anxiety disorder or depression, but for older people, online communication, on the contrary, can help prevent these disorders. One of the most common triggers for depression in older adults is feeling lonely and lacking in social contact. Retirement, loss of the usual circle of communication, inability to lead the same, as before, active lifestyle — all this leads to a gradual loss of social ties. Fortunately, online communication can to some extent fill the deficit of "real" communication and reduce the risk of developing depression.
