Major Health Care Concerns for Senior Citizens - Depression

Clinical depression is just one of many major health care concerns for senior citizens. Depression in seniors is often underdiagnosed and can be difficult to treat.

Senior citizens actually have the highest suicide rate of all demographic groups in the U.S. Men over the age of 85 are at an especially high risk for suicide.

With the right interventions, depression in senior citizens will respond to treatment. Psychotherapy is usually the preferred method of treatment, with cognitive-behavioral therapy being the most effective therapy.

Most physicians tend to shy away from pharmacological interventions with seniors, as they tend to be very sensitive to medications. Additionally, many psychiatric medications interact with other drugs seniors commonly take.