Understanding Depression in Senior Adults: Signs, Symptoms, and Solutions

Anyone can experience depression from time to time, however, seniors can be especially vulnerable. Since May is Mental Health Awareness month, this is an ideal time to talk about how to recognize signs of depression in yourself or a loved one and treatments or other solutions that are available to help.

Detecting Depression

Lingering depression can be caused by clinical mental health issues but also chronic medical conditions, loss of a loved one, stress, social isolation, or any of the many other changes and challenges that come with aging. Depression can become emotionally and even physically debilitating.

Seniors who feel isolated or lonely are more likely to be depressed. The reverse is also true – seniors who are depressed are more likely to isolate themselves because they don’t feel motivated or interested in engaging. Therefore, maintaining connections with friends and family and actively doing things can be both prevention and cure.

But depression can be somewhat invisible, and symptoms can vary from one person to another. They might appear as:

• Sadness
• Disinterest or inertia
• Physical aches and pains
• Irritability or moodiness
• Fatigue
• Insomnia
• Changes in diet or weight fluctuations
• Increased alcohol or drug use

Depression is common among those with dementia and may also be an early warning sign.

What Can You Do?

Be mindful and listen. Reach out to friends and loved ones to check in, and specifically ask about how they are feeling. This may not be the most comfortable conversation, but showing you are truly interested in their well-being can be just the connection they need. Check in with yourself, too. Have you stopped doing things you love to do, or seeing your friends as often as you used to?

Take the initiative. Invite Mom, a friend, or yourself to take a walk, hike, or bike ride. Getting the blood flowing stimulates the brain and spirit along with your body. Set a lunch date, attend a ball game, visit a museum, or organize a game of cards to boost social interaction and bring more fun into your life.

Improve self-care:

• Reduce stress with mindfulness meditation or yoga
• Get 7 to 9 hours of sleep nightly
• Eat a healthy, balanced diet – studies show the DASH diet can reduce the risk of depression
• Exercise – even a few minutes at a time can boost your energy as well as overall health
• Don’t wait to be asked – if you’re feeling down, tell a friend or family member

Look to your faith to lift your spirits. For many of us, spiritual engagement helps us feel connected. As a faith-based non-profit, Magnolia Manor ensures that residents in our senior living communities have access to spiritual well-being in the form of worship, pastoral care, and more, whatever their faith.

If you or your loved one is noticeably depressed for two weeks or more, it’s time to talk to your doctor. Severe depression requires medical treatment, it’s not something you can just overcome on your own.

Finding a Sense of Community

Moving to a senior living community is a great way to help combat the depressive effects of isolation. In independent or assisted living, you have privacy in your own space and control over what you choose to do each day. Planned and impromptu activities abound, and new friends and neighbors are right at hand to join you in pursuing shared interests or discovering new ones.

Contact us to learn more about how Magnolia Manor’s carefree lifestyle can help you or a loved one stay connected, happy, and well as you age. Schedule a tour today at any one of our 8 communities or give us a call at (855) 540-LIFE to learn more.