Early Onset Alzheimer’s Disease

This week I am featuring a four  part series on Depression in Late. Depression is not a natural part of aging and not just a passing mood.

Sadness associated with normal grief or eveyday “blues” is different from depression.  A dad or grieving person can continue to carry on with regular activities.  The depressed person suffers from symptoms trhatinterfere with his or her ability to function normally for a prolonged period of time.

Recognizing depression in the elderly is not always easy.  It is often difficult for the depressed older adult to describe how he or she is feeling.  In addition, the currently population of older Americans came of age at a time when depression was not understood to be a biological disorder and mental illness.  Therefore, some elderly fear being labeled “crazy”, or worry that their illness will be seen as a character weakness.

The depressed person or their family members may think that a change in mood or behavior is simply “a passing mood”, and the person should just “snap out of it”.  But someone suffering from depression cannot just “get over it”.

Depression is a medical illness that must be diagnosed and treated by trained professionals.  Untreated, depression may last months or even years.

Untreated depression can:

• Lead to disability
• Worsen symptoms of other illnesses
• Lead to premature death
• Result in suicide

When it is properly diagnosed and treated, more than 80 percent of those suffering from depression recover and return to their normal lives.  The most common symptoms of late-life depression include:

• Persistent sadness (lasting two weeks or more)
• Feeling slowed down
• Excessive worries about finances and health problems
• Frequent tearfulness
• Feeling worthless or helpless
• Weight changes
• Pacing and fidgeting
• Difficulty sleeping
• Difficulty concentrating
• Physical symptoms such as pain or gastrointestinal problems

One important signe of depression is when people withdraw from their regular social activities. Rather than explaining their symptoms as a medical illness, often depressed persons will give different explanations such as “It’s too much trouble,” “I don’t feel well enough,” or “I don’t have the energy.”

For the same reasons, they often neglect their personal appearance, or may begin cooking and eating less.  Like many illnesses, there are varying levels and types of depression.  A person may not feel”sad” about anything, buy may exhibit symptoms such as difficulty sleeping, weight loss, or physical pain with no apparent explanation.  This person still may be clinically depressed. Those same symptoms also may be a sign of another problem – only a doctor can make the correct diagnosis.

Tomorrow, I will feature Part Two of this series on Depression in Late Life.

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