“The consequences are many”, says geriatric psychiatrist Didi Rhebergen in the NOS Radio 1 News. “It is not only bad for the person who is depressed, but it is also the case that informal caregivers, partners and children are very powerless, do not understand it. What is going on? It is also true that it puts a lot of pressure on care “That pressure is already very great. Elderly people with depression present themselves more often to the GP, first aid, often get physical illnesses. It is a very large package that is attached to it.”
Diagnosis too late
If elderly people with depression present themselves more often to care institutions, how is it possible that the diagnosis is often made too late? “I think it has to do with a few things. People often attribute it to age,” says Rhebergen. “The moment your father withdraws more, no longer goes to the bridge club, you think: the elderly are often less active. You are going to explain it.”
Depression also presents differently in the elderly. “They often get physical ailments. Pain, insomnia or concentration problems. Then it looks more like physical ailments. Then it is quite a job to recognize it.”
Size
Because it presents itself differently, it is difficult to determine how large the group really is. “In research you have methods for this. That you look closely at it with screening instruments. It is of course also a risk that you have about reporting, but if you analyze properly: what are the complaints? Then these are very large numbers that are indeed depressive symptoms and what we can do something about.”