Symptoms of depression may not be easy to identify in older adults. Their symptoms are often ignored, or confused with other ailments common in the elderly, such as:
Symptoms of depression include:
If you have these symptoms every day for more than 2 weeks, you likely have depression.
Depression in the elderly may be hard to detect because of several factors. Symptoms such as fatigue, appetite loss, and trouble sleeping also can be part of the aging process or a medical condition.
An elderly person may only have a decrease in the ability to perform everyday activities.
A physical exam will help determine if a medical illness is causing the depression. A psychological evaluation and other tests may be needed.
Blood tests may be done, including:
Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement. Health Care Guideline: Major Depression in Adults in Primary Care. 11th ed. May 2008.
Unutzer J. Clinical practice. Late-life depression. N Engl J Med. 2007;357:2269-2276.