Treating Depression in Elderly Helps Body Too
With a Healthier Mind Comes a Body That Works Better, Study Shows
Elderly people who get treated for depression appear to benefit physically, as well as mentally.
Depression is "a common problem and it's treatable" in senior citizens, says Christopher Callahan, MD, of Indiana University's medical school, a specialist in research on aging.
"When we say it's treatable, we're suggesting that not only the depression symptoms themselves are treatable, but that it may also be accompanied with improved physical function," Callahan tells WebMD
Elderly people who get treated for depression appear to benefit .
Callahan and colleagues have new evidence of that. They've just reported their results from a year-long study of about 1,000 depressed senior citizens nationwide. The findings showed improved physical function with depression treatment.
If you or someone you know is concerned with depression in old age, the study had several key findings. "First, it shows that even older adults with failing physical health can be successfully treated for depression. Second, it shows that treating the depression also helps slow the physical decline," they write in a news release.
It boils down to this:
° Get help
° Try the patient's primary care physician
° Consult the patient about treatment options
° Look for physical and mental improvement
° Be persistent
° Be sensitive to generational differences
Get Help
"Once the concern is there, the best approach is to accompany that older adult to visit their primary care physician and raise the issue very directly," he tells WebMD.
Don't write off depression to the trials of old age or poor health. Depression is often a separate illness that's fixable, even when other conditions are also present, says Callahan.
Elderly people who get treated for depression appear to benefit physically, as well as mentally.
Depression is "a common problem and it's treatable" in senior citizens, says Christopher Callahan, MD, of Indiana University's medical school, a specialist in research on aging.
"When we say it's treatable, we're suggesting that not only the depression symptoms themselves are treatable, but that it may also be accompanied with improved physical function," Callahan tells WebMD
Elderly people who get treated for depression appear to benefit .
Callahan and colleagues have new evidence of that. They've just reported their results from a year-long study of about 1,000 depressed senior citizens nationwide. The findings showed improved physical function with depression treatment.
If you or someone you know is concerned with depression in old age, the study had several key findings. "First, it shows that even older adults with failing physical health can be successfully treated for depression. Second, it shows that treating the depression also helps slow the physical decline," they write in a news release.
It boils down to this:
° Get help
° Try the patient's primary care physician
° Consult the patient about treatment options
° Look for physical and mental improvement
° Be persistent
° Be sensitive to generational differences
Get Help
"Once the concern is there, the best approach is to accompany that older adult to visit their primary care physician and raise the issue very directly," he tells WebMD.
Don't write off depression to the trials of old age or poor health. Depression is often a separate illness that's fixable, even when other conditions are also present, says Callahan.
