There are many reasons an older patient may be depressed – they may be grieving, they may have serious medical issues, they may have chronic pain. Sometimes they will say “I feel depressed.” Most of the time; however, they will not.
Primary care physicians and psychiatrists are trained in looking for signs and symptoms of depression in older adults. One good way to understand these signs and symptoms is to use a standardized rating scale called the GDS – Geriatric Depression Scale. The questions of this scale relate to ways that older adults may show they are depressed.
If you suspect an older friend or loved one may be depressed, here are some ye/no questions from the GDS that you may want to ask:
1) Are you basically satisfied with your life? YES/NO
2) Have you dropped many of your activities and interests? YES/NO
3) Do you feel that your life is empty? YES/NO
4) Do you often get bored? YES/NO
5) Are you in good spirits most of the time? YES/NO
6) Are you afraid that something bad is going to happen to you? YES/NO
7) Do you feel happy most of the time? YES/NO
8) Do you often feel helpless? YES/NO
9) Do you prefer to stay at home, rather than going out and doing new things? YES/NO
10) Do you feel that you have more problems with memory than most? YES/NO
11) Do you think it is wonderful to be alive now? YES/NO
12) Do you feel pretty worthless right now? YES/NO
13) Do you feel full of energy? YES/NO
14) Do you feel that your situation is hopeless? YES/NO
15) Do you think that most people are better off than you are? YES/NO
If they answer 5 or more of the BOLD responses this is suggestive of depression. I strongly recommend that you have them see their primary care doctor to make sure there is no medical issue to cause these symptoms. If there is no clear medical issue, then a referral to a therapist or psychiatrist may be in order.
To learn more, or to schedule an appointment, contact our office at (919) 636-5240.
Live Mentally Healthy,
Dr. Jennie Byrne