What is the most common cause of depression in the elderly?

Physical conditions like stroke, hypertension, atrial fibrillation, diabetes, cancer, dementia, and chronic pain further increase the risk of depression. Additionally, these risk factors for depression are often seen in older adults: Certain medicines or combination of medicines.

What symptom could be an indicator of depression in an older client?

Signs of depression in the elderly (geriatric depression) Depression in older adults is sometimes called geriatric depression. In addition to manifestations like irritability, sleep disturbances and appetite changes, signs of depression in the elderly may include: Anxiety. Aches, pains and other physical symptoms.

What is an indicator of depression?

Symptoms of major depression may include fatigue or loss of energy, feelings of worthlessness or guilt, impaired concentration, loss of interest in daily activities, appetite or weight changes, sleep changes, and recurring thoughts of death or suicide.

How do you know when an elderly person is giving up?

Here are end-of-life signs and helpful tips:

1. Coolness. Hands, arms, feet, and legs may be increasingly cool to the touch.
2. Confusion. The patient may not know time or place and may not be able to identify people around them.
3. Sleeping.
4. Incontinence.
5. Restlessness.
6. Congestion.
7. Urine decrease.
8. Fluid and food decrease.

What are the common warning signs symptoms that may lead you to believe someone may be suffering from major depression?

Symptoms

• Feelings of sadness, tearfulness, emptiness or hopelessness.
• Angry outbursts, irritability or frustration, even over small matters.
• Loss of interest or pleasure in most or all normal activities, such as sex, hobbies or sports.
• Sleep disturbances, including insomnia or sleeping too much.

What is the best antidepressant for seniors?

SSRIs considered to have the best safety profile in the elderly are citalopram, escitalopram, and sertraline.

What are 3 causes of depression?

What Are the Main Causes of Depression?

• Abuse. Physical, sexual, or emotional abuse can make you more vulnerable to depression later in life.
• Age. People who are elderly are at higher risk of depression.
• Certain medications.
• Conflict.
• Death or a loss.
• Gender.
• Genes.
• Major events.

What is the most serious symptom of depression?

Signs of severe depression can include feelings of hopelessness, increased irritability, loss of pleasure, trouble concentrating or sleeping, or thoughts of death of suicide. 1 Technically, severe depression isn’t a formal mental health diagnosis. Rather, it refers to depression that is more debilitating in nature.

How to spot depression in the elderly?

Loss of self-worth (worries about being a burden,feelings of worthlessness or self-loathing)

What are the early signs of depression?

Chronic fatigue. Being tired all the time could mean you work too hard,or coming down with a cold.

Is life expectancy associated with depression in the elderly?

Results: The mean score of depression and life expectancy in the elderly was 6.77 ± 3.17 and 39.52 ± 6.27, respectively. There was a significant negative correlation between life expectancy and depression (r = -0.594 and p = 0.005), and a significant positive correlation between age and depression (r = 0.258 and p = 0.005).

How do you recognize signs of depression?

Social Signs of Depression. One of the early signs that might be easiest to spot is a change in social interaction.