Be alert for depression during the holidays
For most, holidays are a time of joy, a time to visit friends and families and enjoy festive and religious events. However, for some older adults, the fall and winter holidays can be difficult, and some may experience depression.
During the holidays, older adults may feel more acutely the passing of time, the absence of parents, siblings, and friends who have died, and the distance of loved ones who have moved away. Traditional holiday reunions and rituals that were observed in the past may not be possible, and without them, the holidays may lack meaning.
“While it’s normal to feel sad or down in the face of these losses, a long period of feeling blue may be an indication of a more serious problem such as a clinical depression, said Stephen J. Bartels, M.D., M.S., chair of the Geriatric Mental Health Foundation, a group established to raise awareness of psychiatric and mental health disorders affecting elders and to promote healthy aging strategies. “Friends and family should be alert for any signs of depression.”
To avoid the blues at holiday time, “Stay active, stay interested, stay engaged, stay healthy," suggests Gary J. Kennedy, M.D., Foundation vice-chair.
Following are tips for older adults, their family members, friends and caregivers to help prevent, recognize, and manage late-life depression.
Plan activities that you enjoy, and contact friends and family members with whom you want to spend time. Maintain contact with the world around you.
Take care of your health, get plenty of sleep, eat nutritiously, and stay physically active. Limit the amount of alcohol you drink. Poor health can contribute to depression. Likewise, good physical health contributes to good mental health.
If you think you may be experiencing depression, talk with your doctor, spiritual advisor, or a friend that you trust. Depression is not a normal part of aging nor is it a sign of weakness. It is a medical illness that can affect your health. It is important to know that help exists. There are a number of options for proven, effective treatment of depression!
Tips for older adults’ friends and families
Communicate with the older adults in your life — those both near and far. Phone calls and visits, no matter how brief, help everyone stay connected.
Encourage regular social outings and contacts. Don’t push, but make yourself available for transportation and other services that may be needed.
If you think an older friend or family member may be depressed explain to him or her that you are concerned and why. Lend a sympathetic ear and offer to accompany the individual to a doctor.
Symptoms of depression
Older adults and their loved ones should be familiar with the following symptoms of late-life depression. Symptoms of depression usually last over two weeks.
$ Disturbed sleep (sleeping too much or too little)
$ Changes in appetite (weight loss or gain)
$ Physical aches and pains
$ Lack of energy or motivation
$ Irritability and intolerance
$ Loss of interest or pleasure
$ Feelings of worthlessness or guilt
$ Difficulties with concentration or decision making
$ Marked restlessness or slow movement
$ Hopelessness, or feeling that life is not worth living
$ Recurring thoughts of death or suicide
$ Changed sex drive
Concerned individuals should talk with their primary care doctor, geriatrician, social worker, psychologist, psychiatrist, or geriatric psychiatrist. For more information on depression, including how to locate a geriatric psychiatrist, visit www.GMHFonline.org or call the Geriatric Mental Health Foundation at (301) 654-7850.
This article is used by permission from the Massachusetts Association of Older Americans, Inc. and first appeared in their newspaper, The Older American.
