The Quest for Emotional Wellness No. 20: Depression

There are many diseases and mental health issues that can contribute to depression in the elderly; in fact, depression is the most common disorder in people over 65. What is troubling about depression in people over 65 is that it can mimic the symptoms of dementia and individuals can easily be misdiagnosed and/or under-treated medically. In addition, when depression is a co-morbidity of dementia due to the psychosocial stress that occurs with dementia, the depression is often left untreated. It is important that depression is diagnosed correctly because most forms of depression can be treated and the symptoms relieve or even reversed. (American Psychiatric Association)