17 Nov Depression in Older Adults and Elderly

It is becoming more and more common for retired seniors to get bored with their everyday life routine. This can also cause depression. Some people think that becoming depressed was just a normal part of getting older. According to Lori Deschene of www.caring.com, approximately 2 million seniors in the US have been diagnosed with a depressive disorder. 5 million seniors may have symptoms that don’t meet the full diagnostic criteria for a depressive illness.

Below is a true story most people have probably heard of in regards to depression. Depression experienced by seniors is commonly heard by many but gets ignored frequently. Quite often, every story’s outcome depends on every family’s decision to take charge and do what’s best for their aging loved ones.

A man named Charlie is a retired senior whose wife recently passed away. Charlie was already in a deep depression and stayed home most of his days. Charlie now lives by himself in a huge 5 bedroom 2 story house. He spends most of his days sitting alone, watching TV and listening to his favorite radio station. Charlie’s family realizes that he has become more and more depressed over time. His family decided to take action.

Charlie’s family explores different options: (1) having a family member move in with Charlie; (2) move Charlie into an independent living facility; (3) hire a caregiver to look after Charlie.

The family decided to hire a caregiver through a referral agency. The family recognized the fact that Charlie does not need to move out of his own house where he and his beloved wife once shared their memories together. Charlie gets to stay in the comfort of his own home. The referral agency made sure that the caregiver went through an extensive background check and pre-screening process to test if the skills, knowledge, and years of experience would match Charlie’s care needs. Moreover, getting a caregiver through a referral agency provides Charlie and his family a peace of mind knowing that there is a 24/7 emergency back-up or reliever in case the regular caregiver gets sick.

Charlie’s caregiver’s name is Bell. Bell takes Charlie out for occasions and activities at the nearby senior centers. Charlie enjoys Bell’s company. Charlie’s family has noticed a great change in his mood and health. They were very happy to see that Charlie has been able to join senior activities and were able to keep his mind off from being bored and depressed.

Since hiring a caregiver Charlie has gone to do grocery shopping with his caregiver, attends various brunches, luncheons and dinners, went to different senior centers, parks, and is now able to play golf. He is as happy as can be and the family has their own peace of mind knowing that Charlie is being taken care of and receives efficient quality of care.

It is always a good idea to weigh your options when situations like this happen to you. Deciding what to do or where to place your loved one is not always easy but ADG Referral Services can help. Let ADG Referral Services provide you peace of mind so you and your loved one can have a better quality of life that is less expensive than most alternatives. Let ADG Referral Services help you! Call us today at 925.262.4200 with no obligation.

Article written by: Laura Flenner