The Many Causes of Elderly Depression

There are many biological, environmental, genetic and psychological factors that determine what causes elderly depression. Each individual who suffers from elderly depression has a unique set of factors. Sometimes these factors are easy to spot and other times they are masked by other diseases or because of the stigma associated with mental illness in this age group. It is important to explore the cause of elderly depression because they are at a high risk not only for depression but for those who succumb to the grips of depression they are at great risk for suicide.

Elderly females are at twice the risk as the males for developing depression. It is suspected that not only biological factors, such as hormones, but the stresses of relationships or their caregiver roles that contribute to this statistic.

Biological risk factors such as having the following diseases can also put an elderly individual at increased risk for depression:

* Having had a heart attack
* Suffering a stroke
* Experiencing a hip fracture
* Suffering from macular degeneration
* Having Heart bypass surgery

Loss is a contributing factor of which those who are elderly naturally have experienced more of as life goes by.

* Loss of spouse
* Business or personal partner
* Close friends
* Family members
* A son or daughter
* Neighbors
* Co-workers or Co-volunteers
* And community members

They may also suffer physical loss of a limb or other body part that can cause symptoms of depression. Grief from loss is normal but when it causes the individual to be unable to function it can be depression and not normal grief.

Life changes occur at any age but are more likely to occur when we are of retirement age and family members are more likely to have moved away. Retirement often means relocating from familiar neighborhoods and homes. The elderly may become immobile or otherwise medically unable to care for themselves and be placed in nursing homes or assisted living communities. These life changes often are factors for depression as they cause psychological and emotional harm.

As we age our aches and pains increase not only the physical kind but the emotional kind too as relationships change or fail depression can be the result.

There are many stresses in life that cause depression including financial hardship. Often times the elderly are forced into retirement before they are financially ready. They can be on fixed incomes in an economy that makes it difficult for a two-income family to survive. The elderly are often less able to recover from financial loss as those who are younger can have the ability to do simply because job opportunities are not as plentiful for those who are elderly.

Certain medications can also be the cause of depression. The physician prescribing those medications most likely to be included in this group should note this side affect as a possibility and advise the individual to use caution. Medications for hypertension are one of the types of drugs in this group.

Isolation and being lonely are also common causes of depression in the elderly. Those who have been widowed, or have never married are less likely to have family members to care for them when they grow older. This can mean that there support system may be lacking unless they are connected by community programs to groups that can give them encouragement and assistance when needed.

Changing Tastes and Smells in Retirement

Sometimes, it is hell growing older. You work hard all your life and look forward to retirement and some of your five senses could wreak havoc on you and take away some of life's pleasures like tasting and smelling some of your favorite foods. Typically both taste and smell work in tandem for a variety of body functions with the most important role being the enjoyment of food.

When you age, your senses naturally diminish somewhat. However, there are a lot of scientific reports that state that your taste and smell can also be affected by a number of medications, diseases and illnesses as well. That means, if you are experiencing any taste or smelling problems, you just might be able to reverse the trend.

Changes in your Sense of Taste

You have a number of receptor cells within the taste buds on your tongue along with special nerves which take the message of those receptor cells to your brain to let it know about the flavor of food. These receptor cells within the taste buds recognize about 10,000 various flavors. And about every ten days, your taste buds replace these receptor cells with new ones.

When your taste diminishes as you get older, you need sweeter and sweeter foods in order to recognize the flavors and just minute amounts of sour flavors in order to recognize those. Some experts feel that less saliva production contributes to this loss of taste; however, this does not happen with everyone. Therefore, there have been other factors that have been identified that could effectively contribute to loss of taste. These factors are:

* Poor diet
* Dental health such as tooth decay or sores in the mouth
* Drug regiments for such illnesses as cancer or hormone replacement

Good dental hygiene throughout life can thwart a variety of illnesses and can help prevent a loss of taste. A loss of taste could have a domino effect on your health causing poor nutrition and appetite. By taking care of one problem, you could effectively prevent another.

Changes in your Sense of Smell

The sense of smell does not always work in mysterious ways. Your nose has special receptors which can detect and distinguish certain odors and aromas like food. The molecules present in food are breathed in and captured by these receptor cells which then send messages to the brain to help identify what you smell.

Just growing older can affect your sense of smell. However, with proper health care you can drastically cut the probability of losing your sense of smell. Here are some factors which you could work on to prevent the loss from happening:

* Get a handle on neurological diseases as well as those that affect the nose and nasal passages.
* Keep on top of your allergies and sinus problems by preventing frequent nasal congestion.
* Research your medications and medical treatments to see if the side effects include loss of smell.

If you find that your sense of smell is affecting your sense of taste, look to the medical community for answers. With luck, it could be a simple matter of changing medications or some environmental element in your home. It's no fun not being able to enjoy your food during your retirement years!