Depression in the Elderly

Improving quality of life for seniors and elderly adults with depression throughout New York City including Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island and Nassau County.

home caregivers for elderly depression Depression affects people of all ages and does not care whether you are 18 or 80. However, many do not realize how many seniors struggle with depression. Unfortunately, signs of elderly depression are frequently attributed to other conditions. As a result, elderly depression often goes undiagnosed.

Sadly, the elderly have a significantly high rate of depression. The elderly deal with a series of losses; loss of health, loss of loved ones, loss of freedom and loss of financial freedom for many. They may display symptoms of depression differently than younger people. Also, they may be much less willing to talk about their feelings.

Depression can have far reaching implications in terms of both mental and physical health. In fact, depression has been found to lower the immune system’s ability to fight infection and disease, so it is important to avoid falling into a depressive state.

There are different types of depression:

Major depression with severe symptoms affecting a person’s ability to eat, sleep, work and function.
Persistent depressive disorder comes with major depression in spurts lasting over a period of at least 2 years.
Vascular depression related to changes in the brain and body due to restricted blood flow or ischemia usually occurring later in life.
Psychotic depression.
Postpartum depression.
Seasonal affective disorder.

Caregivers for Seniors with Symptoms of Depressions

The rule of thumb is if you have several of the following symptoms for more than 2 weeks, you may look into a depression diagnosis.

Some of the most common symptoms of depression include:

Persistent sad or anxious mood
Feelings of hopelessness or helplessness
Irritability
Restlessness or having trouble sitting still
Loss of interest in once pleasurable activities, including sex
Decreased energy or fatigue

Moving or talking more slowly
Difficulty concentrating, remembering or making decisions
Change in sleep patterns in terms of difficulty sleeping, early-morning awakening, or oversleeping
Change in eating habits in terms of eating more or less than usual, usually with unplanned weight gain or loss
Thoughts of death or suicide or suicide attempts
Aches or pains, headaches, cramps, or digestive problems without a clear physical cause
Frequent crying

Causes of depression include genetic predisposition, personal history, brain chemistry, stress and side effects from medications used to treat other conditions like diabetes, cancer, heart disease and Parkinson’s disease.

Treatments for depression include both medication and psychotherapy.

Preventing depression is critical and the best course of action since treatment and medication is not always effective and can have long term consequences.

Keep in close touch with your elderly neighbors and relatives and be on the lookout for changes in mood and behavior.
Keep fit with regular exercise, a balanced diet, healthy weight and avoiding illness.

Suicide is something to be very mindful of as well. In younger demographics, suicide attempts are often a cry for help and, thus, often do not succeed. However, the elderly are serious about their plans and as such are, tragically, the most successful at it.

In-Home Caregivers for Seniors with Depression

More and more depressive patients are opting for care in the comfortable surroundings of their home. This is especially the case for the elderly who are often too frail to be moved successfully. David York Agency in-home care providers are able to focus specifically on providing relief to those with elderly depression and care. They are monitored by a specially-trained team of doctors, nurses and other specialists who understand how to treat these specific symptoms and improve the quality of life.

When home healthcare becomes necessary, David York Agency provides skilled home health aide services for the elderly and infirm in their home. A nurse is always available and would be happy to discuss your case with you.

No matter what level of service you need, we’re available twenty-four hours per day, seven days per week. Sometimes the cost of the services can be covered by private medical insurance or Medicare depending on the physician’s orders. Often long term care insurance will pay for a home health aide when the patient is unable to perform activities of daily living.

In-Home Assistance for Seniors with Signs of Depression

Serving Our Clients for the Last 40 Years

When you are faced with the challenge of finding the best in-home care provider to help care for the emotional and physical well-being of someone you love, maybe your mom or dad, you will want to be confident that you are making the right choice.

At David York Home Healthcare Agency, extraordinary service is what sets us apart from other companies who provide in home health care services. Whatever your care needs, we are there for you, always striving to exceed your expectations.

We provide our home care, senior care, dementia care and specialized in-home care services throughout the New York metro area, including Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens, Staten Island, Pelham Parkway, Forest Hills, Riverdale, Jamaica Estates, Bay Ridge, Brooklyn Heights, Bayside, Todt Hill, Briarwood and Nassau County. For a complete list of areas where we provide in-home care and support services for seniors, elderly adults and people of all ages, please visit our Service Areas page.

Complimentary Care Needs Evaluation

Making the decision about in-home care for a loved one is never easy, but finding the right answers can help you feel more comfortable with the options available and confident in your final decision. That’s why David York Home Healthcare Agency provides prospective clients and their families with a complimentary, no obligation in home care needs assessment.

In our meeting, we will thoroughly discuss your care needs and work with you or your loved one to determine how best to meet your requirements. After evaluating your home care goals we will have a better understanding of your loved ones physical, emotional and cognitive needs and will work with you to create a personalized plan of care.

FREE CARE NEEDS EVALUATION

At David York Home Healthcare Agency, extraordinary service is what sets us apart from other companies who provide in-home care services. Whatever your care needs, we are there for you, always striving to exceed your expectations.