Overcoming Age-Related Depression

As we age, many people develop illnesses and can’t do the things they used to do. Age and illness zap our strength, and we lose muscle tone, because we're not moving.  We may find moving painful, due to stiff and aching joints. To add to the situation, many seniors live alone, grieving for years over the loss of a spouse. Children have grown up and moved away, oftentimes living thousands of miles apart, so that the only contact they have with their aging parents is over the telephone or via the Internet. Poverty is another thing with which many seniors have to cope. Can you blame them for becoming depressed?

Depression can hit anyone at any age, but is a common problem with the elderly. It is particularly prevalent in those who live in residential care homes, as some studies indicate. Over 2 million of the 34 million American seniors over 65 suffer from depression. If you’re a depressed senior, there are ways you can help yourself. Just getting outside a few minutes a day will raise levels of vitamin D, which has been shown in studies to relieve depression. Talking with a friend or relative can also be extremely helpful. If you are able to care for one, get a pet to keep you company.

If you have an aging relative, particularly a parent, it is imperative that you visit them as often as possible. You may not realize it, but your visit could mean the difference in whether they have a good week, or a bad one. Your visits could become the highlight of their lives. Elderly people may not ask for it, but they need your caring concern and companionship. It will give them hope and the will to continue living.