Holidays–Joy and celebration or sadness and depression?

The holiday season—Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day—is usually a time of joy and celebration for most of us, but for some older adults it can also be a time of great sadness and depression.
While the rest of the world is busy shopping, planning family gatherings, and attending festivities, older adults can be easily overlooked. The National Institute of Mental Health considers depression in people 65 and older to be a major health problem, with some six million seniors suffering from late-life depression, which is often magnified during the holidays.
Depression in older adults can be triggered by a number of factors, including physical limitations, declining health, retirement, isolation from family and friends, a change in living arrangements, and financial constraints. All of these factors are heightened during the holidays when the feeling of isolation becomes more apparent. Older adults may have to relinquish their role as head of the family as they become guests rather than hosts of family gatherings. They may feel alone and left out while everyone around them is occupied with holiday planning. aGeographical distance between family members can also be more difficult to cope with during the holidays. Perhaps most importantly, the holiday season can trigger a mourning period for those who have lost a spouse or other loved one.
Family caregivers and other helping professionals need to be able to prevent, recognize, and manage depression in older adults before it escalates. Left untreated, depression can lead to major declines in health, including a higher risk of heart problems, loss of independence, and greater need for daily caregiving assistance. Depression can also lead to suicide.
Some signs of depression in older adults include:
• Loss of the will to live; questioning the value of their life • Unwilling to get out of bed or get dressed in the morning • Showing little interest in themselves or those around them • Loss of appetite; changes in sleeping patterns • Persistent sadness that lasts more than a month • Withdrawal from social activities • Excessive worry • Inability to concentrate, slowed responses
If any of these signs are present, the person’s family physician should be contacted as soon as possible for diagnosis and treatment.
Preventing depression in older adults during the holiday season may be as simple as making sure that they feel needed and included in family activities. Call upon their expertise and wisdom when making decisions about family matters and enlist their help with holiday traditions. Keep them informed about what is going on in the family and in the news. Keep in contact with phone calls and visits, and plan outings whenever possible.
Be sure to acknowledge the loss of loved ones during family gatherings with a toast in their honor, a visit to the cemetery, or simply by talking about the people who are no longer with us.
Since alcohol can also contribute to depression, family members should ensure that loved one do not over indulge. Maintaining good eating habits, getting enough sleep, and remaining physically active will also help prevent depression.
Time is always in short supply during the holidays, and most of us tend to overextend ourselves—leading to added stress and anxiety. It is too easy to overlook older family members and friends at this time of year, and they may not always be able to verbalize why they are feeling sad or depressed. Keeping them actively involved during the holiday season will remind them that they are important and vital members of the family.

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