Know a little about “medicine” | What to do with depression in the elderly?

Grandma Yang, who lives alone at home after her husband passed away recently, is depressed, suffers from severe insomnia, and memory loss, which makes her son who works in another city particularly worried. What should we do when we encounter depression in the elderly?

Symptoms such as low mood, slow thinking, insomnia, reduced speech and movement are manifestations of depression in the elderly. If not taken seriously, they are likely to become more serious, affecting the quality of life and life safety of the elderly.

For elderly depression, in addition to the care and companionship of family members, professional psychological counseling and regular drug treatment are also needed. Elderly people have many comorbidities, and medication needs to be individualized. They should choose the appropriate type and dose of antidepressants for treatment under the guidance of a psychiatrist. Commonly used new antidepressants include fluoxetine, paroxetine, sertraline, fluvoxamine, citalopram, venlafaxine, duloxetine, etc. Medication should start with a small dose and single medication, and the dose and type should be adjusted at any time as the condition changes and tolerance.