Causes of Depression in Seniors

 September 16, 2019

 

Caring for a senior loved one can be difficult, especially when seniors begin to fall into a slump of depression.
It is easy to miss the years as they existed earlier in life. So many potential causes and risks for depression exist during your loved ones’ senior years, and it is important to watch out for some of those key risks. The time of higher activity and independence can be difficult for seniors, and depression may be a risk in the long run. Because depression symptoms can worsen over time and become difficult to manage, elderly care providers can help ease the burden for family caregivers.

 

3 Genetic or Other Causes of Depression in Seniors

Occasionally “blue,” anyone can be a little sad or down, but sometimes there can be overwhelming issues with very few symptoms. Sometimes the onset of depression in seniors can come from actual neurological responses to chemical levels in the brain, while there are also genetic or other standard causes. Research suggests that the following may contribute to depression:

• Low levels of key neurotransmitter chemicals in the brain (such as serotonin and norepinephrine)
• A family history of depression
• Traumatic life events, such as abuse or the death of a loved one

Any of these may come from traditional health or psychological causes of depression, the same as they would be in people of all ages. However, it could be related to some of the reduced activity and slower lifestyle involved in the elderly years.

 

 

8 Health Issues that Cause Depression in Seniors

Additionally, there are several health issues in seniors that may be related to the onset of depression. It could be an emotional response to these diagnoses or it could be related to the actual symptoms of those diseases and the onset of a change. Any of the following diagnoses of illnesses for a senior loved one could begin the look toward the end of life. If something like a stroke occurs, it could lead to certain inability regarding physical activity. Any of these diseases coming on during those later years in life may be an indication to your loved on that their independence has the potential to slowly be lost. Some of these illnesses include:

• Cancer
• Parkinson’s disease
• Stroke
• Heart disease
• Lupus
• Diabetes
• Dementia and Alzheimer’s
• Multiple sclerosis

 

So many situations change over your senior years. It can be even harder to watch and elderly loved one go through all of this, including sadness or even depression that it may bring. However, elderly care can help provide social interaction and continued involvement to keep daily life social and happy without being focused only on the diseases that they may battle over time.

 

All of these health issues have the potential to eventually require elderly care for those loved ones for whom you are most often concerned. Even before these illnesses, it is easy to be worried about your parents and other family members in their elderly years. In order to help care for the potential depression and other illnesses that come during this time, in-home elderly care is definitely helpful to keep everything positive and healthy.

 

If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring a  Caregiver in Bloomfield, PA, please contact the caring staff at In-Home Quality Care today. Serving the Greater Pittsburgh Area since 1990! Call 412-421-5202

 

Sources
Healthline.com
Psycom.net
Nia.nih.gov
Webmd.com