Senior's mental health

The Seniors and Depression series from the Mood Disorders Association of BC helps older adults and loved ones recognize signs of depression and seek help. Depression is not a normal part of aging, so it’s important to take depression seriously at any age.

Have you noticed that your senior loved one seems unhappy or more anxious, irritable or moody? Maybe you notice that they are quieter than they once were and have stopped doing things they were once interested in.

Seniors are at greater risk of suicide than are younger people. The British Columbia Crisis Centre indicates that, “Statistics tell us that older adults, particularly older males, have high rates of suicide."

Depression is a mood disorder; dementias like Alzheimer’s disease, can have similar symptoms but they are different illnesses and have different treatment plans. It’s important to know what to look for to help determine what illness you might be dealing with. Only a doctor can make a diagnosis however so if you experience any of the symptoms of either illness see your doctor right away.

Although anti-depressant medications have been around for years, there are still a great number of misconceptions about how they work and the effects they have; antidepressants have always been as effective as they are now but newer medications may have less side effects.