RESEDA, Calif., Nov. 24 -- For many seniors the holidays are a time that can create feelings of sadness and loneliness. These feelings may evolve into serious depression if not properly addressed.
"The sad reality is that for seniors loved ones may no longer be there, or they are separated from the people who help to make the holidays special," says Dr. Nitin Nanda, chief of geriatric psychiatry and behavioral health for the renowned Los Angeles Jewish Home. Dr. Nanda, who also serves as medical director of the Auerbach Geriatric Psychiatry Unit at the Home's Joyce Eisenberg Keefer Medical Center, cautions that "these losses take on even greater significance during the holidays."
Recognizing the signs of holiday depression may be difficult and often are undetected by family and friends. According to Dr. Nanda, the signs can be as subtle as a loss of appetite or a change in sleeping patterns. Other warning signs of depression may include:
- Weight loss or gain.
- Behavior that is more nervous, irritated or agitated than normal.
- Complaints of being tired all the time and having low energy.
- Unexplained sadness.
- Loss of pleasure and interest in usual activities.
- Feelings of worthlessness.
- Difficulty with thinking or concentration.
- Thoughts of suicide.
"If you or a loved one is showing these signs, it's important to contact your physician right away," says Dr. Nanda. "Silence is not golden in the golden years where issues like this are concerned. By letting others know how a senior is feeling, friends, family members and doctors can come up with strategies to help make things better."
Dr. Nanda notes that in many cases depression can be avoided by ensuring a loved one knows others care about them. "Grown children may be busy with their own obligations and may not realize their parents or grandparents look forward to a visit or a phone call. This is especially true during the holidays when senior depression is most prevalent. Even a small token like a home-baked item is a way to bring the holidays to a loved one."
The world-renowned Los Angeles Jewish Home is one of the foremost continuing senior-living facilities in the United States and is the largest single-source provider of senior housing in Los Angeles. Each year, more than 1,700 senior women and men are supported through in-residence housing on two village campuses (spanning 16 acres), which feature independent-living "Neighborhood Home" accommodations, residential care, skilled nursing care, Alzheimer's disease and dementia care, or through Skirball Hospice in the community. Healthcare professionals from around the world consult with the Jewish Home in an effort to improve eldercare in their home countries. The Home is a nonprofit organization that relies solely upon donations from individuals, corporations and foundations to continue its remarkable work. Further information regarding the Home can be found at www.jha.org or by calling 818-757-4407.
SOURCE Los Angeles Jewish Home
