His only son lives in US -Loneliness can lead to depression in elderly’

Ludhiana, October 10, 2013(Harshraj Singh)- Seventy two years old Gurmail Singh (name changed) of Jagraon is suffering from depression. After his wife’s death four years ago, he has been living alone at his home, as his only son lives in the US.  “Due to loneliness and insecurity at home, he has gone into depression. From cooking to cleaning the house, he manages everything himself to keep busy. Other health problems also add to his desolation,” said Dr Rajeev Gupta, who is treating this patient.

Dr Gupta, a psychiatrist at Manas Hospital, said, “These days, cases of depression are increasing among older adults like Gurmail. The main reason of depression among elderly people is their isolation. In many cases, their children live at faraway places that leaves them with no option but to lead a lonely life.”

Besides loneliness, illnesses that elderly commonly suffer from, such as diabetes, hypertension and arthritis, lead to mental illnesses. Dementia is another common problem faced by the elderly.

The main symptoms are memory loss, moodiness and communication difficulties, he added.

According to the World Health Organisation, depression is a common mental disorder, characterised by sadness, loss of interest or pleasure, feelings of guilt or low self-worth, disturbed sleep or appetite, feelings of tiredness, and poor concentration. Dr DP Mishra, professor of clinical psychology at Dayanand Medical College and Hospital, said, “Elderly people should keep themselves busy by doing various activities. They should watch TV, read newspapers and communicate with others in routine. They should also go for walks and practice yoga daily to keep fit and healthy. Deep breathing exercises are also helpful to avoid stress.”

“The young generation usually takes decision on their own, which is also a reason that elderly people suffer from loneliness as at one stage they used to take the decisions for their families. With children busy in their lives, they don’t give adequate time to their elderly parents. When they don’t get support from their children, they start feeling lonely,” Dr Mishra added.

“In their sunset years, people have low physical ability and minimal social contact, which can severely affect their quality of life. Therefore, their children should come forward to give them support to ensure they are mentally fit,” he advised.