ScienceDaily (Nov. 24, 2008)  For many of the elderly, the golden years are anything but. Faced with health problems, financial issues and the death of a spouse or loved one, many adults 65 years and older suffer from depression. While research is emerging to help this group understand and treat the problem, another group – centenarians – has been left largely in the dark.

“Centenarians are still rare, and depression hasn’t been studied thoroughly in this group,” said Adam Davey, a developmental psychologist in the College of Health Professions at Temple University. “We’ve found that it’s a very under diagnosed condition among people over 100 years old, yet it’s one of the most easily treated forms of mental illness.”

…more than 60,000 people in the U.S. are 100 years old or over, and as baby boomers start to hit their 100-year mark, that number is expected to more than quadruple to 274,000. …a group of researchers have been studying this group more and more to learn about successful late-life aging…..Based on responses … by a sample of 244 centenarians, … more than 25 percent showed clinically relevant levels of depressive symptoms, yet only 8 percent reported having a current diagnosis of depression.

Davey notes that … a number of factors, including poor nutritional status, urinary incontinence, limited physical activity and past history of anxiety. “People who suffer from depression tend to have a high risk of mortality, so it’s puzzling to see higher numbers among the oldest old,” he said….researchers found that centenarians living in a community setting were found to have higher levels of depression than their younger counterparts. …it is important for doctors, nurses and even family members to focus on the larger picture to ensure a better quality of life.

“Caregivers often focus on the physical part of health,” he said. “Or, when they look at they mental health of older adults, they focus more on dementia. But depression is important to consider too – it’s not just something that younger people suffer from.”…

To read the complete article go to http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/11/081124080810.htm

MY COMMENTS:

When I came across this article I was oddly pleased. I was happy to see that the scientific community is taking interest in the oldest old, a population that is commonly forgotten. We talk so much about baby boomers, and forget that there are plenty of older adults here and now that need assistance with issues associated with aging. As this article is suggesting, more focus is needed on the oldest old for mental health issues that are appearing to be more prevalent then once thought.

Many times, I think, the underdiagnosis of depression occurs in not only those 100 years of age, but from 75 up. At this point, the older adult is experiencing a lot of changes physically, which is affecting them socially and functionally. They may be losing sight of their independence as they suffer physically, emotionally, and socially. The medical community comes in contact with this population more than any other. They should be able to pick up on signs of depression, right? I feel that the reason this is not the case, is the stigma faced by this population. The medical community may look at them, and think, “Well, their old, and in pain, why wouldn’t they be sad.” Ok, maybe, but this snap judgment of the sad, old age folks cannot be a part of the very vital medical evaluation these patients need.

Let’s take our time and view our clients as not an old person who has every reason to be sad, but as a person who may be severely affected by their mood changes. These changes may very well be connected to their current experiences as they age, though depressed should not be viewed as a normal part of aging.

The baby boomers have done a lot to change our nation. They were, and are still, the largest group to hit all the major life milestones. And they have done a great deal to change the functions of our governmental, social, and community systems. For example, when the boomers went to college in the ’60s and ’70s the enrollment numbers rose drastically, so much that many colleges were forced to increase their capacity (Centra, 1980). Now, the boomers are reaching a new milestone, and again, they will help to change how our current system operates. Already, those who are considered older adults, the boomer’s parents, have done what they can to change what it means to age. These people are living longer and some argue healthier, and more meaningful lives. Yet still, there is a lack of services for those categorized as the old old. Never before has this country seen such growth in this sector of the population. We were, and still are, not ready, and we need to adjust.

The population exists, but do the services? I will argue that no, the services aren’t there. But why? This question is something that deserves more research. What is known, is that not only are there few professionals trained to work with this specific and diverse population, but there are even fewer organizations to higher these specialists. I am speaking more to the need for social work, psychologist, and other social service provider job openings. These jobs should be created to help service the older adult. The greatest need for this population is, and will always be, adequate health care.

There are close to 9,000 Geriatricians and 2,400 geropsychiatrists in the United States according to the AGS Foundation for Health in Aging (healthinaging.org). These physicians’ specialization is not only a title any doctor can give her/himself. It requires special training and a license that is rewarded to those well versed in knowledge of the older adult’s health care needs This profession is quite often complicated by the patient’s multiple health problems and disabilities which many older adults face.

There are hospitals and universities around the country that have geriatric clinics, but few are profitable enough to receive the benefits of a more revenue gaining department of medicine. This also means that the Geriatrician is paid less, and is often very over worked simply because there are few of them, and a sea of patients in need. Perhaps if the health care system, hospitals, and universities were capable of providing the space and support, the specialist would be more able to provide the services.

I do not have the answer. My question is this, how do we provide the services if there are not services to provide?