Depression & the Elderly

Paper Summary:

This paper looks at how the elderly experience certain identifiable and particular stress factors and vulnerabilities in the face of natural disasters. More specifically, the paper discusses the central factors that affect emotional and psychological stress in the elderly in the event of natural disasters. The paper concludes that natural disasters can increase and exacerbate stress and anxiety in the elderly and possibly lead to serious psychological issues.

From the Paper:

"Depression in seniors often is hidden within psychosomatic complaints--in other words, masked under the guise of physical conditions such as backaches, stomachaches, headaches, or even insomnia. However, seniors, also, like young adults with depression, can complain of feeling sad, losing interest in fun activities, or losing their appetite for food as well as sex. These patients complain of anxiety and sleep disturbance along with their sad feelings. Whether an individual comes in with somatic complaints or clear-cut depressive features, there is a definite generational difference in the way people perceive depression. Part of the treatment has to do with convincing the patient that depression is a true illness--nothing to feel guilty about. ("Fighting Depression in Senior," 1994)"

Sample of Sources Used:

• Apfeldorf, W. J. (2004). 14 Approaches to the Treatment of Chronic Late-Life Depression. In Handbook of Chronic Depression: Diagnosis and Therapeutic Management, Alpert, J. E. & Fava, M. (Eds.) (pp. 317-337). New York: Marcel Dekker.
• Cox, C. (1993). The Frail Elderly: Problems, Needs, and Community Responses. Westport, CT: Auburn House Paperback.
• D'Mello, D. A. (2003). 1 Epidemiology of Late-Life Depression. In Depression in Later Life: A Multidisciplinary Psychiatric Approach, Ellison, J. M. & Verma, S. (Eds.) (pp. 1-26). New York: Marcel Dekker.
• Fighting Depression in Senior Citizens. (1994, April). USA Today (Society for the Advancement of Education), 122, 3+.
• Jacobson, S. (1995, April). Overselling Depression to Old Folks. The Atlantic Monthly, 275, 46+.

More papers on Depression & the Elderly:

• Essay # 87318 : "Depression in The Elderly"
• Term Paper # 107704 : "Suicide among the Elderly"
• Essay # 36788 : "The Elderly"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: