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Depression Treatment For Elderly People Depression in older people can result in a deterioration of their health conditions and an increased risk of dying. It is important for them to see their doctor to ensure they are receiving the appropriate treatment. A number of factors can make it difficult to recognize depression in older adults. One of them is misdiagnosing depression symptoms as part of aging or concealing the signs of depression by coexisting medical conditions, lack of support from others and stigma. Antidepressants Antidepressants are often the initial stage of treatment in a lot of cases. These medications can boost neurotransmitters inside the brain and improve mood, and also reduce symptoms of depression. They are often employed in conjunction with psychotherapy. It can take up to several weeks before they begin to show results. It is crucial to check the depression of patients who are elderly for co-morbidities and to treat them appropriately. Often medical illnesses like stroke, heart disease, and chronic pain can trigger depression in elderly patients. They are also more vulnerable to the adverse effects of some medications. The stigma of aging keeps people from seeking medical help to address their emotional issues. Symptoms of depression could be misinterpreted as other conditions, such as discomfort, eating disorders related to dentures and disrupted sleep patterns. These symptoms can be exacerbated by the absence of social support. They can also be difficult to communicate, particularly with family members. Seniors are more likely to experience vascular depression, caused by the decrease in blood flow to the brain. As compared to other forms of depression, vascular depression is associated with a more severe cognitive impairment and an inability to respond to treatment. This kind of depression is treatable by a variety of drugs including SSRIs SNRIs TCAs. Medications used to treat depression in elderly patients should be tailored to the individual, as they are more prone to adverse reactions. Doctors should begin with lower doses and titrate up gradually, taking into account changes in pharmacokinetics with age. They must also consider the effect other medications and supplements can have on the patient's reactions to antidepressants. It is crucial for doctors to inform patients and their families about the signs of depression as well as the treatment options available. This can help patients understand their conditions and stick to their medication regimens. It is also important to let them know the lag time for the effects of antidepressants. A detailed history is essential for evaluating depression in older people. This should include the time of onset of depression, its relationship to other stressors in the life and previous episodes of depression and any underlying medical or physical illness. It is also crucial to determine if the symptoms of depression are the result of medications or other health-related issues, such as menopause or seasonal affective disorder. Electroconvulsive Therapy ECT helps to reset the brain to reduce depression symptoms. It's usually used in people who don't respond to medications or suffer from depression that is serious and life threatening for instance, a person who is contemplating suicide or suffers from an illness that is dangerous to their health. A majority of insurance companies and Medicare cover ECT. It's usually performed in an hospital. The patient will receive an all-encompassing sedative and will not feel a thing during the treatment. It may take six ECT treatments to improve your depression. There may be confusion for some time or for a few days after the treatment. It is possible to lose memory during or immediately after ECT. However, these problems tend to be temporary. It may take a few months before you begin to remember things. If you have a history of heart disease, you may be more susceptible to complications resulting from ECT. People with heart problems that are preexisting should steer clear of ECT unless their doctor recommends it. Recent research has examined the incidences for cardiac complications among patients with existing heart problems and those without. Researchers found that the frequency of complications was significantly higher for the group with already existing heart disease. The researchers suggested that a decrease in the use of ECT for elderly patients with existing cardiovascular issues could help lower the complication rate. ECT is effective for a range of depressions, including unipolar, bipolar and mania. It can also treat other mental health issues like schizophrenia with psychosis caused by antiparkinsonian medications. It can also be used to treat dementia that is severe, especially when it is caused by a serious illness. Your doctor and you should perform a thorough psychiatric examination prior to undergoing ECT. Your doctor will review your medical records to determine if there are any medical conditions that might influence your response to treatment. If you have a heart condition your doctor may suggest an electrocardiogram (EKG) or chest X-rays prior to receiving ECT. Psychotherapy It can be challenging to diagnose and treat depression in people who are elderly. Seniors are often more difficult to admitting they suffer from depression due to the stigma associated with mental illness. They might be embarrassed to seek help and fear being a burden to their families. Depression can also increase an older person's risk of heart disease and can make it more difficult to recover from other illnesses. Psychotherapy is a successful treatment for depression in older people. Depression is a common disorder in the elderly, however many of them aren't diagnosed or treated. This is due to a variety reasons that include misdiagnosis, as well as inattention by health professionals. Patients may experience symptoms like apathy, lack of interest in daily activities, sleep disorders, and frequent thoughts of death. These symptoms are often attributed to dementia and aging but are often caused by depression. A thorough evaluation of a depressed elderly patient should include a thorough history-taking review of the patient's response to previous treatment and laboratory tests, too. A minimum battery should include haemograms, liver function tests and renal function tests as well as urine analysis. Numerous tests such as thyroid function tests folate, thyroid function tests and vitamin B12 levels must be performed in case of a possible nutritional deficiency as these can contribute to the onset, persistence and maintaining depression in the older. The acute phase of treatment for depression must be focused on getting the goal of remission. Treatment must be tailored to the needs of the patient. A psychotherapy program must be used in combination with the antidepressant medication. The therapy can be either long-term or short-term. It may be aimed at dealing with the issues of cognition and behavior that are obvious, or it may be focused on understanding and changing deeply-rooted emotional and relational problems. The continuation and maintenance phase of treatment should consist of continuing with the same antidepressant drug as in the acute phase. This is done while keeping track of remission rates and relapse rate. It is important to monitor the relapse rates of elderly patients, as they are more likely to be relapsed. Social Support Social support is a key component of mental well-being. Studies have shown that those with strong social networks are less likely to suffer from depression and are more able to deal with stressors of life. It is also crucial for maintaining an immune system that is strong. This is especially true for older adults who are more stressed and have less effective coping strategies. This is likely to be the reason that older adults require more social support than younger adults. In reality, the absence of family and social support is associated with poor health outcomes in older adults. Social support can reduce the impact of negative events in life, like the loss of a loved-one or an illness that is serious. It can also have a positive effect on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal cortex (HPA) and noradrenergic systems. To improve the quality of life for patients, it is important to identify any problems in this region and tackle the issues. There are many ways that healthcare professionals can provide social support for a depressed senior. Psychotherapy, pharmacotherapy, and electroconvulsive therapy are a few of the options. These treatments can improve mood and function, and improve independence. The quality of care a patient receives will determine the extent of his or her recovery. Social support is defined as emotional support and instrumental support, in addition to the feeling of belonging and a sense of community. Support for emotional well-being can be defined as the capability of a person to express their emotions and concerns to others. Instrumental support is receiving help with tasks. comprehensive depression treatment is obtaining guidance from a trustworthy source. There are a variety of social support available in Vietnam, including immediate family members friends, neighbors, and professional aids. In the case of mental health treatment social support has been proven to enhance the quality of life of elderly patients, as well as reduce mortality and morbidity from suicide and medical ailments. This is in turn linked with lower costs for psychiatric treatment and health treatment. This is a major benefit for both public and private healthcare systems.