Depression in the Golden Years

There are some sobering statistics about the elderly and suicide from the National Suicide Prevention Initiative. In 1998, adults over the age of 65:

• Represented 13% of the population, but 19% of all suicide deaths.
• Were more likely than any other group to visit a physician within 24 hours before their suicide.
• Saw their rate of suicide rise as they age (from 13.1 per 100,000 at age 65-69 to 22.0 at age 80-84).

Treatment

Antidepressant treatment can be tricky in older adults. For one thing, the depression may be one of many ailments, including chronic conditions that require medication. The more medications you are taking, the greater the risk that one will make another ineffective or even dangerous. If possible, an older adult should be treated for depression by a psycho-pharmacologist, a doctor who specializes in psychiatric medications. He or she will have a more complete understanding of how medications interact than a general practitioner.

Something else that should be noted is that older adults, according to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, have a high percentage of relapse if antidepressants are discontinued. Psychotherapy did not appear to be effective in preventing this. Since patients are often taken off antidepressants after six months to a year, this is something to keep in mind when a physician is prescribing a course of treatment for an older adult.

Links

Depression in Older Adults and the Elderly

Clinical Depression: The Under-diagnosed and Untreated Elderly

Suicide Among the Elderly
Men Over 50: An Endangered Species
Antidepressant drug interactions in the elderly

Long-term antidepressants for elderly?