Depression is often difficult to make out in seniors. Even doctors often find it difficult to see whether someone is depressed or suicidal, or possibly has symptoms of a starting dementia.
Dementia, pseudo-dementia or depression?
A well-known phenomenon in medicine is the pseudo-dementia. Grandfather or grandmother seems to show signs of dementia, yet this only is a seeming dementia, which is cured after treating the real, underlying depression. A depression can in some cases showcase itself in seniors in a way that reminds one of a starting dementia or Alzheimer's disease.
Depression treatment
In case your doctor decides that a depression is at play, antidepressants might be prescribed, or psychotherapy, or an online self-help program in case the senior is able to use the internet well enough.
Depression testing via a depression test
In such a case, make sure to take the online depression test below and discuss the results with your doctor in order to differentiate between dementia or depression. This requires specialized clinical research by a doctor
Paul Koeck, MD
