However, it is not a normal part of aging. In older people, depression is often tricky to recognize. Confusion or attention problems caused by depression can mimic symptoms of Alzheimer s disease or other brain disorders. Further, symptoms of depression are sometimes the result of side effects of drugs commonly taken by older patients. It is normal, of course, to feel depressed when a loved one or friend dies, being unsure about what to do in retirement, or coping with chronic illness, but when a person is clinically depressed, his or her ability to function mentally and physically is affected for prolonged periods.
Depression is the most treatable of all mental illnesses.
There are treatments that range from psychotherapy to antidepressant medications. Unfortunately, the National Mental Health Association estimates only one-third of America s 19 million sufferers of depression seek treatment. It should not be construed as a personal weakness or embarrassment. Talk to your doctor or mental health professional. No one is too old to be helped.