Eldercare: Dealing with Clinical Depression It's estimated that
15 to 20 percent of elders suffer from some kind of depression —
everything from the passing mood to the kind that requires
medical attention, clinical depression. Understanding clinical
depression Clinical depression is a deep sadness that persists
over weeks and months, wreaking havoc with sleep and appetite,
and the quality of your oldster's life and relationships.
Clinical depression can cause your age-advantaged person's
health to decline often leading to premature
institutionalization as his ability for self-care becomes
compromised. The blues and grief can develop into a full-blown
clinical depression. Finally, because depression can run in
families, some people may have a biological predisposition that
puts them at high risk for depressive illness. Being aware of
the signs If your elder exhibits any of the following symptoms
for more than two weeks, he or she needs to be seen by the
doctor: - Complains of feeling "empty," hopeless, sad, o