Burbank Hospice Care Experts Talk about Depression among the Elderly

Burbank Hospice Care Experts Talk about Depression among the Elderly

Depression is surging among seniors. While the condition is still most prevalent among people ages 40 to 59, many of them bear the condition well into their 60s. Baby boomers will continue to age until 2029, so it’s highly likely that a few out of ten seniors will suffer from depression. Seniors who are ill, and especially terminally ill patients, are most vulnerable, and that is why medical personnel, particularly in hospice care, are also trained to teach their patients’ families on how to deal with depression, and how to guide their loved ones through the stages.

Sadness versus Depression

Sadness and depression are not quite the same thing. One important difference worth noting, according to Psych Central associate editor Margarita Tartakovsky, is that the average person gets over his sadness with a little shift outside or inside himself. Depression, on the other hand, is associated with sadness that lasts for weeks.

Depression among the elderly should be treated differently from typical depression. Senior care expert Ed Rofi says symptoms of depression can easily manifest itself as symptoms related to aging problems (e.g. lack of appetite, lack of sleep, fatigue). Many seniors can’t as quickly adapt to the changing environment as younger people can, which often leads to the feeling that they’re being left out.

Sadness that persists for more than two weeks may border on depression; other symptoms of depression include the following:  (Tartakovsky noted that a person must exhibit at least five symptoms):

  • Irritability and lack of sleep
  • Loss of appetite
  • Difficulty in thinking and remembering details
  • Loss of interest in pleasurable activities
  • Feelings of hopelessness and worthlessness
  • Persistent body pain that doesn’t mitigate with treatment
  • Thoughts of committing suicide (a serious red flag)

More Support

Many patients in hospice care have learned to embrace the reality of impending end-of-life, and thus, have courageously overcome their depression to confront whatever else is left for them to deal with. Nevertheless, senior patients will always require the same quality of support from loved ones and their caregivers—from gentle care and proper pain management to personal attention and family intimacy.

Burbank hospice care services include pain management and counseling for patients and their families. Hospice care providers like Lakeview Hospice Care understand how some families choose to have their loved ones at home so they can spend their last moments on earth; with customized services, hospice care can ensure that their patients live out their wishes with dignity.

Although, it might seem a better arrangement for Burbank hospice care providers to monitor their senior patients in-house, many hospice care centers can arrange scheduled care and support from professional nurses and primary care doctors for senior patients who choose home care.

Citation:

“Senior Care Notes: Understanding depression in seniors,” Main Line Times, April 27, 2015

“Why Depression and Sadness Are not the Same,” Psych Central, October 12, 2014

By |2019-01-16T09:12:32+00:00October 16th, 2018|Comments Off on Burbank Hospice Care Experts Talk about Depression among the Elderly

About the Author: