​Here in Perth, Western Australia, people who suffer with Depression are able to get support from a variety of resources. 

Sometimes however, there are people who fall through the cracks, and are missing out on this support, mainly because they have not been formerly assessed and diagnosed with depression.

Which Age group Is More Likely To Suffer With depression?

Depression is a mental health issue which can affect people of all ages and walks of life, including children and the elderly.

In Australia, depression in our older adults has become a common problem, as the population is aging.

The medical symptoms  of depression can dramatically affect the lifestyle of people in many ways including:

• Self confidence
• Appetite
• Energy levels
• Sleep patterns
• Motivation and interest in doing anything
• Feeling pain
• Feeling irritable

Often those older people who are suffering depressive behaviour do not even realise that they have anything to be concerned about and put it down to just getting old.

Older family members may prefer to avoid discussing the issue, for fear of becoming a burden. We all need to be able to help and support any of our family or friends who are suffering with this mental health issue known as depression.

How To Notice Signs Of Depression

Making an effort to spend time with our older relations, is a good start to keeping an eye on them and noticing when they are not feeling their usual self.

If a person has been in a low or depressed mood for several months, it may be time to look for other indicators that depression could be the cause. 

Depression is common in the elderly and often the signs are overlooked and put down to ageing. 

Symptoms of depression in an elderly person may become apparent after:

• The loss of a family member or close friend
• The loss of a valued pet
• Financial hardship
• Major surgery
• Experiencing a stroke 
• Diagnosis of terminal illness

How To Help Our Older Adults With Depression

If you have concerns that your elderly loved one has depression, or suspect your parent is suffering depressed mood symptoms, encourage him or her to seek professional help. 

Contact the team at the Swan Valley Psychology Centre for more information, support and treatment for people with depression or depressed mood.  

Phone: 08 9379 3580
Fax: 08 93793557
Address: 85 Walter Road East, Bassendean 6054
Postal Address: PO Box 4073, Eden Hill WA 6054
Web: www.svpc.com.au
Email: Christina@svpc.com.au

For parents, it is both exciting and and overwhelming watching their children grow up.  They watch them take their first steps, start school, finish school and then eventually most children decide to move out of home.  While this is an eventful milestone for many families, some parents experience what’s been labelled ‘empty nest syndrome’.   ‘Empty nest syndrome’ is an informal term used for the sadness, grief, loneliness experienced by some parents after their child leaves home. Not all parents experience these feelings and some enjoy the freedom that comes with their children leaving their home.  However, some parents struggle with ‘empty nest syndrome’ which can either last for a short period or in some cases persist for longer periods, making them vulnerable to developing depression.

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​Everyone occasionally feels sad, lonely, disappointed or unmotivated.  These are all normal emotions that most people experience at various times in their life, especially after a sad event.  However, most people also get over these feelings of sadness and are able to feel better after a little while.  So how do people know when they are depressed or just feeling a bit sad?

Its that time of year when we can feel a little cold snap in the air.  Summer is over and winter is on our doorstep!! Every year when the weather turns cool and the daylight hours dwindle there are some people that experience the winter blues which can turn into a type of depression.

Anyone with children at school would have been exposed to some form of bullying at one stage or another.  Some parents have children at school that have been bullied, some parents have children that are the bully while other parents have children that may not have been directly affected by bullying but may have been witness to bullying or known someone that was bullied.   Whether your child has been exposed to bullying or not, most parents are concerned about the issue of bullying affecting their child.

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Valentines Day is a romantic time of year when we celebrate love and spend time with those we cherish.  It’s an excuse to have a night out together, or spoil your partner and show your romantic side.  While many couples enjoy this time of year, others try to avoid it all together!  Valentines Day is a painful reminder to some people of what they don’t have and what they may be missing out on.  In actual fact, some people experience loneliness and depression in the weeks surrounding Valentines Day!

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Social Anxiety (or social phobia) is a form of anxiety where a person has an intense fear of being scrutinised in public.  This fear can be restricted to specific situations or generalised to most situations.  To reduce symptoms of the fear and anxiety, people may undertake repetitive behaviours or they may use avoidance strategies.  In some situations where the anxiety is generalised, this can result in total social isolation.