Joseph E. Deering Elder Law Blog on Lawyers.com

The holiday season is here. If you are a caregiver
for an elderly loved one, you may notice a change in your loved one's mood as
the holidays approach. Perhaps you are one of many, who visit elderly parents
and family during the holidays who live a distance away. When you visit you may
notice that loved ones are not as physically active, or they show symptoms of
fatigue or sadness and have no interest in the holiday or in their
surroundings.

According to the National Institutes of Health; of the 35 million Americans
age 65 or older, about 2 million suffer from full-blown depression. Another 5
million suffer from less severe forms of the illness. This represents about 20%
of the senior population -- a significant proportion.

Depression in the elderly is difficult to diagnose
and is frequently untreated. The symptoms may be confused with a medical
illness, dementia, or malnutrition due to a poor diet. Many older people will
not accept the idea that they have depression and refuse to seek treatment.

What causes depression in the elderly?

It is not the actual holiday that causes depression, but the fact that holidays
tend to bring memories of earlier, perhaps happier times. Additional
contributing factors that bring on depression may be the loss of a spouse or
close friend, or a move from a home to assisted living, or a change with an
older person's routine.

Depression may also be a sign of a medical
problem. Chronic pain or complications of an illness or memory loss can also
cause depression. In addition, diet can also be a factor when proper nutrition
and vitamins are lacking.

As an example, Selma's
husband passed away, a few months before Christmas. Her family lived close by
and would call or drop in often to check on her. Selma
seemed a little preoccupied and tired, but this was to be expected as she had
been the caregiver for her husband for many years. It wasn't until the family noticed
that her holiday decorations were not out and her yearly routine of Christmas
card writing was not happening that they began questioning her mental and
physical well being.

A trip to her physician confirmed depression,
caused by not only the loss of her spouse, but a vitamin B12 deficiency. There
were both mental and physical reasons for her depression.

Symptoms to look for in depression might include:

• Depressed or irritable mood
• Feelings of worthlessness or sadness
• Expressions of helplessness
• Anxiety
• Loss of interest in daily activities
• Loss of appetite
• Weight loss
• Lack of attending to personal care and
  hygiene
• Fatigue
• Difficulty concentrating
• Irresponsible behavior
• Obsessive thoughts about death
• Talk about suicide

Treating the holiday blues in seniors.

Get the senior involved in some social or other types of activities. The elder
person generally denies any problems or may fear being mentally ill. You can
make the difference in and remove the Holiday Blues from seniors suffering from
depression. For example, get them involved in an art project which can be a
valuable asset for improvement.

The Senior
Arts Foundation at Santa Monica
is a community based organization to connect seniors to the arts. It
acknowledges the excellence of artworks produced, appreciated and collected by
seniors. The SAF recognizes the talents of these older adults and aims to
expand their horizons into all aspects of the arts. It provides a vehicle to
express their artistic vision and support their artistic talent. 

For more information, see these sites:

www.seniorartsfoundation.org

www.smc.edu/emeritus

Joseph E.
Deering

DeeringLawOffice@JoeDeering.com

www.joedeering.com

632 Arizona Avenue

Santa Monica, California 90401

Telephone (310) 393-0701