Tracing the Causes of Depression In the Elderly

On Monday, we gave you an introduction to elderly depression, discussing the physical effects, suicide rates, and the importance of addressing such issues.

As we mentioned then, depression can be difficult not only on our aging loved ones, but on the rest of the family as well. However, having an understanding of what elderly depression entails can help to ease the pain and suffering of your loved ones, as well as ease the stress it may put on your family.

One way to understand how and why depression occurs is by looking at its causes. To help you get on the right track, today, we’re going to talk about just that. Take a look below:

Physical Causes

As we discussed in our introduction to depression, depression can be more than just mental and this goes for its causes, as well. As we age, health becomes a very important, if not more serious concern, which is why the potential for depression is there when we find our health on the decline. Physical causes may include the following:

    • Chronic or severe pain: The inability to stop pain may frustrate your loved ones because they no longer feel in control of their body.
    • Disabilities/immobility: Like pain, your parent may feel stressed because they are unable be as active as they once were.
    • Change in physical appearance: Whether because of aging, surgery, or a disease, you parent may begin to feel self-conscious about their appearance, which may also lead to depression.
    • Medical conditions: As noted by helpguide.org, medical conditions afflicting the elderly can make a huge impact on their lives. In some instances, the illness may trigger their depression directly, or impact them psychologically. These conditions may include:
      • Parkinsons disease
      • Stroke
      • Heart disease
      • Cancer
      • Diabetes
      • Thyroid disorders
      • Vitamin B12 deficiency
      • Dementia and Alzheimers disease
      • Lupus
      • Multiple sclerosis

 

Bereavement or Loss (Non-Physical Causes)

To many, the most obvious cause of depression is linked to the loss of a loved one. As we age, the chance of experiencing such losses is likely to increase, which may lead an elderly person to have a less than optimistic outlook surrounding their loneliness or inability to prevent such losses.

So what exactly is the root of the problem?

As you were reading this, you may have noticed that your loved one is afflicted by a number of the things we have listed above. Unfortunately, there can be a number of causes that may lead one to depression, making it much more difficult to trace.

This small guide, however, may help you understand the serious of the situation, as well make you more sympathetic to your parents circumstance. It is important to remember that depression is more than just a simple problem that can be fixed understanding how complicated the situation can be is one of the key steps to help your parents through such a journey, so please make an effort to be more sympathetic towards them.

At Encompass, we strive to ensure the best quality of life through all stages of the aging process, and that means going through the good and the bad with you. If you are concerned about your loved ones well being or have any questions, please feel free to give Encompass a call. We are here to help.

Physicians’ Choice Private Duty Assisted Living currently serving Omaha, Eastern Nebraska and Western Iowa provides seniors and their families a complete understanding of geriatric care options and helps families maneuver through the challenges of the system. Get your free Cost Comparison guide by clicking here. Or contact us for a free consultation or just to say hello!

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“Physicians’ Choice Private Duty Assisted Living solves the challenges families face in caring for aging parents, with a focus on strategies that keep them in their homes. To learn more about our solutions, visit http://www.private-duty.pchhc.com.”

 

 

A Few Basic Facts About Depression in the Elderly

A while back, we did a brief blog post on the topic of elderly depression. As we mentioned then, depression is a common problem for elderly people.

As we age, we’re faced with retirement, the death of loved ones, increased isolation, and declining health all of which have the possibility of affecting our outlook on life.

Depression can be hard, not only on our aging loved ones, but on the rest of the family as well, which is why it’s so important to make sure we do our best to ensure that our loved ones are properly cared for if and when depression strikes.

Throughout this week, we’ll talk about various aspects of elderly depression, from a general overview, to causes and signs of depression.

For today, we’ll begin with some basic things you need to know about depression in the elderly. Take a look below:

Depression is more than just mental.

Despite the fact that depression is considered a mental illness, depression can actually affect us physically, too. Those with depression will often experience chronic pain, fatigue, changes in appetite and weight, as well as difficulty sleeping.

In turn, their physical health can decline significantly and may result in other serious complications. This is part of the reason why it’s so important to not make your loved ones feel like it’s all just in their head. Doing so avoids addressing the issue and also increases the likelihood of causing your loved one suffering.

Suicide rates are high among the elderly.

According to a recent article in The New York Times New Old Age blog, 2010 statistics taken from the Center for Disease Control show that among those over 65, 14.9 per 100,000 take their own lives each year. Out of those numbers, elderly white men have the highest rate of suicide with about 29 per 100,000 over all, and more than 47 per 100,000 among those over age 85. Those numbers may be under-reported due to the stigma associated with suicide.

Depression is not inevitable.

Suicide and depression are especially difficult subjects to talk about. And, while many would rather avoid these subjects altogether, addressing such issues can do a lot to prevent unfortunate incidents such as suicide from occurring.

As we mentioned above, suicides among older people have declined in recent decades, which is likely attributed to improved screening and treatment of depression, meaning that depression can be avoidable (or at least treatable). By taking the proper steps to make sure your loved ones are adequately cared for, you can do a lot to maintain (if not improve) their outlook, despite all of the difficult trials they have gone through.

At Encompass, we strive to ensure the best quality of life through all stages of the aging process, and that means going through the good and the bad with you. If you are concerned about your loved ones well being or have any questions, please feel free to give Encompass a call. We are here to help.

Physicians’ Choice Private Duty Assisted Living currently serving Omaha, Eastern Nebraska and Western Iowa provides seniors and their families a complete understanding of geriatric care options and helps families maneuver through the challenges of the system. Get your free Cost Comparison guide by clicking here. Or contact us for a free consultation or just to say hello!

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“Physicians’ Choice Private Duty Assisted Living solves the challenges families face in caring for aging parents, with a focus on strategies that keep them in their homes. To learn more about our solutions, visit http://www.private-duty.pchhc.com.”

 

 

Talking Money With Your Aging Parent--How to Start the Conversation

Throughout this week, we’ve given you several tips on talking with your parents about their financial assets, from why it is important, to what information you need to ask for when having the conversation.

As we’ve mentioned before, money can be a quite a touchy subject which is why it’s so important to tread lightly and consider your parents point of view when approaching them.

Along with treading lightly, there are a few other things you should watch out for when approaching your parents. Here is what you need to know about getting the conversation started:

Awkward is okay (if not inevitable).

Let’s face it regardless of how you approach the situation, the conversation is bound to seem a little bit awkward and difficult. This is entirely okay.

In fact, AARP caregiving expert Amy Goyer, suggests acknowledging that with your parents. Being up front levels the playing field, reducing the chance of your loved one feeling guilty because they find the conversation difficult, while you seem completely okay. Refraining from putting on a poker face will make things much easier for everyone.

Let them stay in control.

It’s their money, not yours, so treat it as such.

The last thing you want is to make your loved one feel like they are losing control of their assets simply because they are getting old. Throughout all of your conversations, the key is to make sure that they feel like they are still in control, and that you’re only there to advise them when they no longer have the ability to.

Bring in the professionals.

It never hurts to have a second opinion. Try setting up a meeting with your loved ones doctor or lawyer, or maybe even ask if you can tag along next time they have an appointment.

Remember, though try to make sure your loved one doesn’t feel ganged up on. The more people there are joining in on the conversation, the more likely that can happen, so be careful.

Don’t lose your cool.

Most importantly, don’t lose your cool. While it can certainly be frustrating because you’re only trying to help, getting mad at your loved one won’t get you anywhere and will more than likely cause them to avoid the situation altogether. Be careful about what you say, and always their point of view in mind.

While these conversations aren’t easy, trying your best to maintain your composure and considering your parents point of view will make them much more manageable. As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to give us a call. At Encompass we strive to make all stages of the aging process the best possible!

Physicians’ Choice Private Duty Assisted Living currently serving Omaha, Eastern Nebraska and Western Iowa provides seniors and their families a complete understanding of geriatric care options and helps families maneuver through the challenges of the system. Get your free Cost Comparison guide by clicking here. Or contact us for a free consultation or just to say hello!

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“Physicians’ Choice Private Duty Assisted Living solves the challenges families face in caring for aging parents, with a focus on strategies that keep them in their homes. To learn more about our solutions, visit http://www.private-duty.pchhc.com.”

 

 

Talking Money With Your Aging Parent-- What to Ask For

On Monday, we gave you an introduction on how to talk your parents about their financial affairs. As we mentioned, money can be a rather difficult subject to bring up.

Even so, having the conversation sooner, rather than later, is essential in order to make sure your parents are well taken care-of (and that you aren’t stuck in any unfortunate situations).

Today, we’re going to talk about some of things you should ask for in order to have the best outcome possible for you and your loved ones finances.

Beyond the will

A will is a common place to start for most parents when it comes to putting their financial assets in order. But as Amy Goyer, a caregiving expert at AARP points out, you need to know much more than whether a will exists. Having as much information as possible is the key to having the best possible outcome for you and your parents.

This includes the following:

  • Knowing where the will and any other important financial documents are kept
  • Whether they have a living will, and/or advanced health care directives in order to ensure their wishes are met
  • A durable power of attorney to ensure their financial affairs can be handled in case of an emergency.

Other information

What we’ve outlined above only scratches at the surface. Below, we’ve highlighted some more (adapted from About.com):

  • Social Security Numbers and Medicare numbers
  • Insurance: This includes details of all insurance policies, such as health, life, and long-term care
  • Health records
  • Debts and payments such as mortgages or any other loans
  • Income: retirement plans, social security, annuities, dividends, tax returns, etc.
  • Savings and investments, including bank account numbers and names of financial institutions
  • Location of safe deposit boxes and keys to the boxes
  • Names and phone numbers of legal advisors, doctors, attorneys, insurance agents, accountants, etc.

This may seem like a lot of information to look for–and while we don’t expect you to get everything in one go, we do believe that the more information you can get, the better the situation will be for you and your loved one.

Remember, thoug hit’s always important to tread lightly. Asking for all of this information can be quite overwhelming not only for your aging parent, but for you as well. Starting the conversation sooner rather than later can help to reduce the stress of asking, but it is always important to keep your parents point of view in mind. You are, after all, looking out for their best interest.

Physicians’ Choice Private Duty Assisted Living currently serving Omaha, Eastern Nebraska and Western Iowa provides seniors and their families a complete understanding of geriatric care options and helps families maneuver through the challenges of the system. Get your free Cost Comparison guide by clicking here. Or contact us for a free consultation or just to say hello!

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“Physicians’ Choice Private Duty Assisted Living solves the challenges families face in caring for aging parents, with a focus on strategies that keep them in their homes. To learn more about our solutions, visit http://www.private-duty.pchhc.com.”