Essay On Depression Among The Elderly

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Depression is among the risk factors affecting many people especially the elderly in the U.S. Depression leads to mental illness among the elderly in addition to other negative effects of depression are failure of body functionality, high health care costs, poor quality of life and unfavorable health outcomes. Currently, the population of the citizens aged 65 and above is at least 12 percent in America. The population is expected to grow to one-fifth by the years 2030. The projected population growth among the elderly requires a lot of attention since mental problems resulting from depression are likely to increase as well. Although depression affect many elderly people, it remains under-treated and under-recognized in the country (CDC, 2009). Depression impair a person’s ability to work, function independently, negative economic implication to victims and their families, results to poor health outcome as well as social stigma. Depression also causes family suffering and disruption especially where the victim was a single bread winner. Without proper treatment, depression affects the ability of achieving an elderly life among the older people (CDC, 2008). The analysis presents depression as a threat to social and economic wellbeing not only to the individuals but to the states as well. Both the Federal and State government have to fund …show more content…

Leadership is important towards providing depression treatment programs, creating productive working environment and providing good care to the patients. Many governmental agencies and Non-Government Organization have staged campaigns in the fight against the increased depression level among the elderly. One of the remedies used to educate the public on depression is lifestyle change. There are several methods of life changes that have been established at the elderly care centers (Beekman, Deeg, & Braam,

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