Depression Help: Treatment Options For The Elderly

Posted by Christina Crease

at October 20, 2008

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Depression treatment is helpful for elderly adults as it is for younger people. Therapy, support groups, and medication are all help relieve symptoms. However, health concerns should always be taken as an older adult’s treatment plan.

Any medical concerns can cause difficulties in the depression, so it must be carefully addressed and resolved. For example, many seniors suffer from chronic pain. Pain that interferes with every day activities can evade depression recovery, so it must be maintained as part of the treatment plan.

Antidepressant medications may assist to simplify the signs of depression in the elderly. However, if the depression is due to loneliness, poor health, or other lifestyle issues, medication may not be the fruitful option.

Antidepressant use in older adults also arrives with wellbeing fears that it is vital to be aware of. Older adults are more sensitive to drug side effects and vulnerable to interactions with other medicines they are taking. Depressed seniors may also fail to remember to have medicine. Moreover, recent studies have revealed that SSRIs like Prozac can cause speedy bone loss and a higher risk for fractures and falls. Due to these risks, elderly adults on antidepressants should be cautiously examined.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Studies have discovered that remedy works just as well as medication in relieving mild to control depression. And unlike antidepressants, therapy also tackles the following causes of the depression:-

Supportive counseling includes religious and peer counseling. It can assist to get rid of loneliness and the hopelessness of depression.
Psychotherapy assists the people work through hectic life changes, cure from losses, and deal with hard emotions.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) assists the people to change their negative thinking patterns, tackles with troubles in healthy ways, and acquire better handling skills.
Support groups for depression, illness, or bereavement connect people with others who are facing the same challenges. They are a secure place to share experiences, advice and support.