aging Archives - Alzheimers Support

Geriatric Depression is common among those who have Alzheimer’s dementia

In fact, Geriatric Depression has become more common for everyone as they age. Studies show that depression has become a common illness later in life.

The Geriatric Mental Health Foundation (GMHF) said that 15 out of 100 elderly people (65 years and up) show depressive symptoms. Meantime, according to Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing, five million out of 31 million Americans aged 65 and older experience depression.

Many believe that depression is a natural part of agin, but that is not true. Geratric depression is not considered a natural part of aging. When it is left untreated, multiple psychiatric and physical disorders will likely ensue. The good news is, like other common diseases, depression can be detected, prevented, and treated.

If healthcare workers, families, and caregivers recognize the early signs of depression among the elderly, proper treatment and care can be provided.

Because of the alarming depression rate among elderly people, it only seems logical to design measurement to predict or detect them accurately.

Stanford University has provided 15 questions that can help assess older adults’ risks of having depressive behaviors. This free online tool is available in several languages and in the public domain.

How you have felt over the past week? Choose the best answers from below.

Are you basically satisfied with your life? YES / NO

Have you dropped many of your activities and interests? YES / NO

Do you feel that your life is empty? YES / NO

Do you often get bored? YES / NO

Are you in good spirits most of the time? YES / NO

Are you afraid that something bad is going to happen to you? YES / NO

Do you feel happy most of the time? YES / NO

Do you often feel helpless? YES / NO

Do you prefer to stay at home, rather than going out and doing new things? YES / NO

Do you feel you have more problems with memory than most? YES / NO

Do you think it is wonderful to be alive now? YES / NO

Do you feel pretty worthless the way you are now? YES / NO

Do you feel full of energy? YES / NO

Do you feel that your situation is hopeless? YES / NO

Do you think that most people are better off than you are? YES / NO

Answers in Bold indicate Depression

A score > 5 points in BOLD is suggestive of depression

A score > 10 points in BOLD is almost always indicative of depression

This Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) is a validated screening tool specifically designed to measure the risks of depression among elderly people. The GDS comes in 2 common types: a 30-item and the 15-item self-rating scale. For patients suffering from cognitive impairment may consider other more sophisticated measurement tool. Don’t hesitate to consult the nearest healthcare centers in your area to ask about these examinations.

Once diagnosed, it is important to keep a regular follow-up and seek active medication management in order to get the maximum benefits of treatment. Let’s not rule out depressive behaviors as normal emotions rather we should resort to medical diagnostics the moment we see tell-tale signs of geriatric depression.

Author: Jesse Waugh is a veteran writer with over 8 years of writing and proofreading experience. Jesse has a solid understanding of content marketing and can deliver high-quality, targeted contents for any topics or niche of interest that includes health, health aged care, respite care and more.

Stay as Active as you can and get as much exercise as possible.

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Can you tell the difference between Alzheimer’s or Simple Aging? Sometimes it’s difficult to know the difference–

Memory loss is common, particularly among men and women over the age of 65. This could be a simple moment of forgetfulness or it may represent something far more serious. The reality is that people are diagnosed with dementia and progressive brain diseases, like Alzheimer’s, every single day. Unfortunately, proper diagnosis is often delayed.

So the question is common. “Can you tell the difference between Alzheimer’s and Natural Aging.”

Why does this happen? It can be difficult to determine the difference between Alzheimer’s disease and age related memory loss.

As you age, your memory will begin to change. This is completely normal. You may notice this happening more often or you may not notice any significant changes at all. The severity of age related memory loss will vary from person to person.

For instance, you may find that you have left your shopping list at home or have missed a dental appointment. These things are bound to happen from time to time…. and for the most part, they are nothing to be concerned about. However, with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease on the rise, it is important to be aware of the common symptoms.

While it’s true that memory loss and aging are fairly normal, there are certain things to look out for. One example? Ask yourself if your memory loss has ever affected your day-to-day life. Perhaps you forget about an important date, event, or even someone’s name. Or maybe you have found that you need to rely on memory aids, like to-do lists and pre-set alarms more and more frequently.

Anytime that memory loss begins to impede your daily life, it is a good idea to take note, speak to a friend or family member, or schedule an appointment with your doctor. Remember: while memory loss is normal, memory loss that affects your typical day is not.

Other memory loss issues related to Alzheimer’s disease include difficulty processing and retaining information, solving problems, making good financial decisions, trouble determining the time, date, or where you are at any given moment, misplacing objects or belongings, problems thinking of the right words to use, feelings of isolation or being withdrawn, as well as any changes in general mood or behaviour.

Knowing the early signs of Alzheimer’s disease can help you determine the difference between what is normal – and what you should keep an eye on.

So, can you actually tell the difference between Alzheimer’s and aging related memory loss? You can, but it is all about being aware.

The key is to understand that it isn’t whether or not memory loss is present. Instead, you need to determine how memory loss is affecting your life.

If you find that completing every tasks seems challenging or you begin to feel less social, this could signal a larger problem. In that case, it is important to speak up! Ignoring the issues won’t make it go away. By turning to friends, family members, and professionals, you can begin exercises to strengthen your brain and find ways to slow down the progression of memory related symptoms.

Memory loss can be scary, but it should never be ignored. As you age, it is more important than ever to understand the common symptoms of serious brain diseases like Alzheimer’s. This knowledge can help you seek out appropriate treatment and care options if necessary…. and get back to living your life.

Author: Dr. David Tal has more than twenty years of clinical experience. He manages the Age Matters Clinic in Toronto, Ontario.

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