Depression and the Elder Person: The Enigma of Misconceptions, Stigma, and Treatment

Abstract

It is estimated that half of the 35 million people in the United States who are over the age of 65 are in need of mental health services, though fewer than 20% are actually being treated (Comer, 2004). Coexisting mental and physical problems make recognition of depression in elder persons more difficult because presenting symptoms of depression are often masked by physical problems. In addition, most elder people who have depression never seek or obtain treatment because of the commonly held myth that depression is a normal part of the aging process and that elder people cannot benefit from psychotherapy. The purpose of this article is to survey these issues as they relate to mental health counseling.