Senior citizens who suffer from mild depression are 5 times more likely to develop clinical depression within a year compared to those who had no symptoms.
A study at the University of Rochester found that lots of senior citizens struggle silently with depressed feelings, which in turn affect their physical conditions.
The study showed that depressive feelings in the elderly can grow worse if left unchecked.
Sadness about a medical condition or a loved one’s death is normal. But it becomes a serious problem when a person no longer leaves the house, does not groom himself or eat properly, or has thoughts of suicide.
The best place to notice the early signs of depression in senior citizens is in the primary care doctor’s office, where a physician can ask questions about a person’s attitude toward life and how the person is taking care of himself.