Study finds increased suicide rate in seniors
The suicide rate for seniors ages 80 to 84 increased 35% from 1980 to 1992, according to a recent issue of Decade of the Brain, a quarterly science publication of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill in Arlington, VA.
The total suicide rate for people ages 65 and older increased 9% during that same period, report the authors. Although suicide represents just one extreme outcome, 5 million adults over 65 suffer from serious and persistent signs of depression, with another 1 million suffering from major depression.
Effective treatment for late-life depression is available but often not used because of a belief that depression is a normal response to the social and functional losses of associated with aging, report the authors.
Depression in the elderly may initially be triggered by the effects on the brain of prescribed medications, cerebrovascular changes in the brain, and neurodegeneration. Symptoms of depression case managers should watch for in their elderly patients include:
• persistent sad, anxious, nervous, or empty mood;
• sleeping too little, early morning awakening, or sleeping too much;
• reduced appetite, or increased appetite;
• loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities;
• restlessness or irritability;
• persistent physical symptoms that do not respond to treatment, such as headaches, chronic pain, or digestive disorders;
• fatigue or loss of energy;
• difficulty remembering or concentrating;
• feeling guilty, hopeless, or worthless;
• thoughts of death or suicide.
Many organizations offer resource materials on depression in the elderly. Here are just a few that case managers may want to contact:
• National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, 2102 Wilson Blvd., Suite 302, Arlington, VA 22201. Telephone: (800) 950-6264 or (703) 524-7600.
• DEPRESSION Awareness, Recognition & Treatment (D/ART), National Institute of mental Health, 5600 Fishers Lane, Suite 10-85, Rockville, MD 20857. Telephone: (301) 443-4140. For brochures, call: (800) 421-4211.
• National Depressive and Manic-Depressive Association, 730 N. Franklin, Suite 501, Chicago, IL 60610. Telephone: (800) 826-3632.
• National Mental Health Association, 1021 Prince St., Alexandria, VA 22314. Telephone: (800) 969-6642. For a booklet on mental health, call: (800) 433-5959.
• National Foundation for Depressive Illness, P.O. Box 2257, New York, NY 10116. Telephone: (800) 248-4344.
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