A depressed mood, with many of these symptoms, that goes on and on and on for weeks and months is called clinical depression. Depression is also more than the feeling of grief you experience after losing someone you love. Following such a loss, for many people, a depressed mood is a normal reaction to grief. Some people find it helpful to join a mutual support group, such as a widowed-persons group, to talk with others experiencing similar feelings. But, if the grief does not go away within a few months, it may be depression.
Clinical depression is a whole body disorder.
It affects the way you think and the way you feel, both physically and emotionally. In fact, most older people feel satisfied with their lives. Nonetheless, among people 65 and over, as many as 3 out of 100 experience clinical depression. This is a serious problem, and can even lead to suicide. But there is good news.