 Health & Nutrition
Thoughts on
Aging
Depression in Older Adults
(2 minutes: 21 seconds)
 MP3 (audio
only)
Audio/Video Script:
Dr. LaVona Traywick
Assistant Professor - Gerontology
[Announcer] Welcome to Thoughts on Aging with Dr. LaVona Traywick,
Assistant Professor of Gerontology with the University of Arkansas Division of
Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service.
[Dr. LaVona Traywick] Most older adults feel satisfied with their life. But, issues such as the
death of a spouse, loss of independence, and health problems can lead to
depression, especially in those without a strong support system. Depression is
NOT a normal or necessary part of aging.
Depression symptoms such as aches and
pains and fatigue are often overlooked in older adults because seniors
demonstrate less obvious symptoms, have more medical conditions which cause
depressive symptoms, and are less likely to acknowledge feelings of sadness or
grief. This is dangerous because depression increases the risk of illness,
death, and suicide. In fact, older white males age 85 and older currently hold
the highest suicide rate. Many of these men experienced a depressive illness
that their doctors may have overlooked, despite the fact that these suicide
victims often visited their doctors within one month of their deaths. It is
important to learn how to spot and treat depression in older adults.
Many people never seek treatment options, even though the vast majority of
people can feel better with proper treatment. Treatment is personal and will
depend on the cause and severity of the depression. If you think you or your
loved one may be suffering from depression, please see your physician.
I'm Dr. LaVona Traywick and these are just a few "Thoughts on Aging".
[Announcer] Thank you for listening to Thoughts on Aging with Dr. LaVona
Traywick. To learn more about this and other topics, contact your local county
Cooperative
Extension Service office.
Resources:
National Institute of Mental Health (2008).
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/depression/complete-publication.shtml#pub1
World Health Organization (2008).
http://www.who.int/topics/depression/en/
The Arkansas Cooperative Extension Program (2008).
http://www.arfamilies.org/health_nutrition/aging/
Back to Thoughts on Aging
|
