How can depression in seniors be effectively managed and treated?

According to Wikipedia, Depression is a mood disorder that causes continuous sadness and loss of interest. The causes of depression among seniors can be many such as the death of their spouse, children settling abroad for better job prospects, or due to chronic health conditions like cancer, kidney diseases, etc. But the question is, “Is Depression in senior people treatable”?

Yes, it can be treated. Today, let us focus on   how depression in seniors can be treated to help them lead a   comfortable and happy life 

Treatment options available 

• Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy often known as talk therapy can help treat depression. Your senior loved one suffering from depression needs someone to talk to, to pour their heart out. Psychotherapists are experts in understanding the root cause of depression of your senior loved one by talking. They also employ various techniques to treat depression in seniors such as

• Cognitive Therapy

This therapy is used by psychotherapists to change the automatic negative thoughts that cloud your senior’s mind and can aggravate depression further, Cognitive therapy helps to identify common patterns of negative thinking and change those into positive ones.

• Behavioral Therapy

It focuses on changing the behavior of a person that affects emotions.

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Both Cognitive therapy and Behavioral Therapy work well when combined and that combined approach is known as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or CBT. It addresses both the negative thought patterns and the behaviors that contribute to depression. 

Elder Care Service Providers in Kolkata provide Psychotherapy Services under highly experienced and certified psychotherapists that you can avail for your beloved senior to make him/her feel relaxed and comfortable.

Antidepressant Medicines

Antidepressant drugs are also effective in treating depression. Doctors usually start by prescribing a type of drug called Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors(SSRI) such as citalopram(Celexa), fluoxetine( Prozac), escitalopram oxalate (Lexapro), etc.

Another class of antidepressants used for treating depression is Selective Serotonin and norepinephrine inhibitors (SNRI) such as desvenlafaxine (khedezla)’ duloxetine (Cymbalta), Venlafaxine (Effexor) 

But, these medicines may take up to 12 weeks or more to reach the peak of their effectiveness. 

Apart from these treatments, you can also help your beloved senior overcome depression by

Spending Time with your senior loved ones 

 Spend quality time with your beloved seniors so that they don’t feel left out and ignored. Loneliness and feeling neglected or unwanted are also some of the major causes of depression among seniors. We all have job commitments that we need to fulfill sincerely but spending some time with our beloved elders is also very much required to keep them healthy, happy, and comfortable. Discuss family matters with them, and encourage them to give their opinion on family matters. Make them feel special on their birthdays and anniversaries. Plan surprise outings for them during weekends you can also arrange classic movie nights at your house for your beloved seniors and their friends along with snacks and food. If you live abroad then make sure to call them daily or at least during the weekends. Many Eldercare Services in Kolkata organize Various recreational activities like winter tea parties, day outings, picnics, and Puja Parikrama for senior people (Durga Puja) that you can avail for your senior loved ones to make them feel happy and stress-free.

Keep them occupied

Encourage your beloved seniors to take up hobbies like gardening, and painting, or if they are interested in cooking and baking they can try their hands at cooking some special dishes or baking their favorite cakes and cookies. This will help them to feel relaxed and happy. 

Also, make sure seniors socialize to keep themselves stress-free and happy. Encourage your seniors for morning or evening walks if they don’t have any major health issues that restrict movement. This will not only help in taking care of their beloved heart and body but also they can make new friends with whom they can share their thoughts which will help them to overcome loneliness and depression. If they are under the care of a professional caregiver, make sure the caregiver accompanies them to prevent any mishaps. 

With utmost care,  love, and attention your senior loved ones can beat depression and lead a healthy and happy life.