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A health care provider can help.

Once you decide to get medicaladvice, start with your family doctor.The doctor should check to see ifyour depression could be causedby a health problem (such ashypothyroidism or vitamin B12deficiency) or a medicine you aretaking. After a complete exam,your doctor may suggest you talkto a mental health worker, suchas a social worker, mental healthcounselor, psychologist, or psychiatrist. Doctors specially trained totreat depression in older peopleare called geriatric psychiatrists.

Don’t avoid getting help

because you may be afraid of howmuch treatment might cost. Often,only short-term psychotherapy(talk therapy) is needed. It isusually covered by insurance.Also, some community mentalhealth centers may offer treatment based on a person’s abilityto pay.

Be aware that some family

doctors may not understand aboutaging and depression. If your doctor is unable or unwilling to help,

6

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won’t go to a doctor for treatment?Try explaining how treatmentmay help the person feel better.In some cases, when a depressedperson can’t or won’t go to thedoctor’s office, the doctor ormental health expert can startby making a phone call. A telephone call can’t take the placeof the personal contact neededfor a complete medical checkup,but it might encourage the personto go for treatment.Treating DepressionYour doctor ormental healthexpert can oftentreat yourdepressionsuccessfully. Different therapiesseem to work fordifferent people.For instance, supportgroups can provide newcoping skills or social supportif you are dealing with a majorlife change. A doctor might suggest that you go to a local senior
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A health care provider can help.

Once you decide to get medicaladvice, start with your family doctor.The doctor should check to see ifyour depression could be causedby a health problem (such ashypothyroidism or vitamin B12deficiency) or a medicine you aretaking. After a complete exam,your doctor may suggest you talkto a mental health worker, suchas a social worker, mental healthcounselor, psychologist, or psychiatrist. Doctors specially trained totreat depression in older peopleare called geriatric psychiatrists.

Don’t avoid getting help

because you may be afraid of howmuch treatment might cost. Often,only short-term psychotherapy(talk therapy) is needed. It isusually covered by insurance.Also, some community mentalhealth centers may offer treatment based on a person’s abilityto pay.

Be aware that some family

doctors may not understand aboutaging and depression. If your doctor is unable or unwilling to help,

6

7

won

t go to a doctor for treatment?

Try explaining how treatmentmay help the person feel better.In some cases, when a depressedperson can’t or won’t go to thedoctor’s office, the doctor ormental health expert can startby making a phone call. A telephone call can’t take the placeof the personal contact neededfor a complete medical checkup,but it might encourage the personto go for treatment.Treating DepressionYour doctor ormental healthexpert can oftentreat yourdepressionsuccessfully. Different therapiesseem to work fordifferent people.For instance, supportgroups can provide newcoping skills or social supportif you are dealing with a majorlife change. A doctor might suggest that you go to a local senior
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This is wrong.

A health care provider can help.

Once you decide to get medicaladvice, start with your family doctor.The doctor should check to see ifyour depression could be causedby a health problem (such ashypothyroidism or vitamin B12deficiency) or a medicine you aretaking. After a complete exam,your doctor may suggest you talkto a mental health worker, suchas a social worker, mental healthcounselor, psychologist, or psychiatrist. Doctors specially trained totreat depression in older peopleare called geriatric psychiatrists.

Don’t avoid getting help

because you may be afraid of howmuch treatment might cost. Often,only short-term psychotherapy(talk therapy) is needed. It isusually covered by insurance.Also, some community mentalhealth centers may offer treatment based on a person’s abilityto pay.

Be aware that some family

doctors may not understand aboutaging and depression. If your doctor is unable or unwilling to help,

6

7

of a depressed older person whowon’t go to a doctor for treatment?Try explaining how treatmentmay help the person feel better.In some cases, when a depressedperson can’t or won’t go to thedoctor’s office, the doctor ormental health expert can startby making a phone call. A telephone call can’t take the placeof the personal contact neededfor a complete medical checkup,but it might encourage the personto go for treatment.Treating DepressionYour doctor ormental healthexpert can oftentreat yourdepressionsuccessfully. Different therapiesseem to work fordifferent people.For instance, supportgroups can provide newcoping skills or social supportif you are dealing with a majorlife change. A doctor might suggest that you go to a local senior
ys

on

.

t

needs

rtable

n

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Don’t avoid getting help

because you may be afraid of howmuch treatment might cost. Often,only short-term psychotherapy(talk therapy) is needed. It isusually covered by insurance.Also, some community mentalhealth centers may offer treatment based on a person’s abilityto pay.

Be aware that some family

doctors may not understand aboutaging and depression. If your doctor is unable or unwilling to help,

6 7

mental healthexpert can oftentreat yourdepressionsuccessfully. Different therapiesseem to work fordifferent people.For instance, supportgroups can provide newcoping skills or social supportif you are dealing with a majorlife change. A doctor might suggest that you go to a local senior
13

Alexandria, VA 223111-800-969-NMHA(1-800-969-6642/toll-free)1-800-433-5959 (TTY toll-free)www.nmha.orgFor information about depressionand Alzheimer’s patients andcaregivers, contact:Alzheimer’s Disease Educationand Referral (ADEAR) CenterP.O. Box 8250Silver Spring, MD 20907-82501-800-438-4380 (toll-free)www.alzheimers.orgFor more information on healthand aging, contact:National Institute on AgingInformation CenterP.O. Box 8057Gaithersburg, MD 20898-80571-800-222-2225 (toll-free)1-800-222-4225 (TTY toll-free)www.nia.nih.gov

U.S. Department of Health andHuman ServicesPublic Health ServiceNational Institutes of HealthApril 2005

14

g

(www.seniorhealth.gov), a seniorfriendly website from the NationalInstitute on Aging and the NationalLibrary of Medicine. This simple-touse website features popular healthtopics for older adults. It has largetype and a ‘talking’ function thatreads text aloud.
13

12th FloorAlexandria, VA 223111-800-969-NMHA(1-800-969-6642/toll-free)1-800-433-5959 (TTY toll-free)www.nmha.orgFor information about depressionand Alzheimer’s patients andcaregivers, contact:Alzheimer’s Disease Educationand Referral (ADEAR) CenterP.O. Box 8250Silver Spring, MD 20907-82501-800-438-4380 (toll-free)www.alzheimers.orgFor more information on healthand aging, contact:National Institute on AgingInformation CenterP.O. Box 8057Gaithersburg, MD 20898-80571-800-222-2225 (toll-free)1-800-222-4225 (TTY toll-free)www.nia.nih.gov

U.S. Department of Health andHuman ServicesPublic Health ServiceNational Institutes of HealthApril 2005

14

Visit NIHSeniorHealth.gov(www.seniorhealth.gov), a seniorfriendly website from the NationalInstitute on Aging and the NationalLibrary of Medicine. This simple-touse website features popular healthtopics for older adults. It has largetype and a ‘talking’ function thatreads text aloud.
13

12th FloorAlexandria, VA 223111-800-969-NMHA(1-800-969-6642/toll-free)1-800-433-5959 (TTY toll-free)www.nmha.orgFor information about depressionand Alzheimer’s patients andcaregivers, contact:Alzheimer’s Disease Educationand Referral (ADEAR) CenterP.O. Box 8250Silver Spring, MD 20907-82501-800-438-4380 (toll-free)www.alzheimers.orgFor more information on healthand aging, contact:National Institute on AgingInformation CenterP.O. Box 8057Gaithersburg, MD 20898-80571-800-222-2225 (toll-free)1-800-222-4225 (TTY toll-free)www.nia.nih.gov

U.S. Department of Health andHuman ServicesPublic Health ServiceNational Institutes of HealthApril 2005

14

Visit NIHSeniorHealth.gov(www.seniorhealth.gov), a seniorfriendly website from the NationalInstitute on Aging and the NationalLibrary of Medicine. This simple-touse website features popular healthtopics for older adults. It has largetype and a ‘talking’ function thatreads text aloud.
13

and aging, contact:National Institute on AgingInformation CenterP.O. Box 8057Gaithersburg, MD 20898-80571-800-222-2225 (toll-free)1-800-222-4225 (TTY toll-free)www.nia.nih.gov

U.S. Department of Health andHuman ServicesPublic Health ServiceNational Institutes of HealthApril 2005

14