By Derek Jones

To recognize National Mental Illness Awareness Week and National Depression Screening Day in October, Griswold Home Care would like to share best practice action-oriented tools and resources for older adults who are living with depression and the family/professional caregivers who support them. Depression IS NOT a normal part of aging. It is a real medical condition that has a serious impact on quality of life for older adults and their family caregivers. Untreated depression in older adults has been connected with chronic health issues, increased hospital stays, family caregiver burden and suicide.  In fact, the highest incidence of suicide occurs in adults who are 65 and older. The good news is that depression can be treated.  The best treatment approach for depression in older adults combines medicine with non-medical approaches such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), staying active and support groups. Please review this infographic and walk away with a visual snapshot of the tools that can help you to screen, recognize, diagnose and treat depression in older adults, as well as learn more about the effects undiagnosed and untreated depression may have upon a person.