Posted by Sudbury Northern Life Reporter Janet Gibson
Health care professionals heard from experts recently that
there's a link between depression and dementia. They also
learned they should never stop trying to achieve a full
recovery for seniors suffering from depression.
Psychiatrist Dr. Monica Scalco, medical director of the Mood
Clinic for Seniors at Whitby Mental Health Centre, told a North
Bay conference that depression is common. Almost one-in-five
people will experience it in their lifetime, she said, adding,
"It's treatable."
Therefore, it makes sense for doctors to screen their elderly
patients for depression, which in the past has been
underdiagnosed and undertreated.
However, detecting it is often tricky, she warned, because
seniors often discount their feelings and deny they're sad.
Instead, they say, "I have a such a wonderful family."
Full recovery should be the goal of treatment because of the
consequences. "Major depression is an important risk factor for
cardiovascular disease, equal to smoking and diabetes," she
said.
While the optimal treatment is psychotherapy and
antidepressants, many seniors don't have the opportunity to see
a specialist.
She told recreation therapists, social workers, nurses and
doctors attending the conference hosted by the Northeast Mental
Health Centre that she recommends behavioural therapy and that
they should try different medications and interventions until
they get it right.
Otherwise, the economic cost is too high. Health care
professionals have difficulty, she said, mapping out a plan
that will make sense for someone.
"Think about something that will make sense for that person,"
she said. "I like to use walking."
As well, she said, studies have shown that aerobic and
resistance training improve the mood of clinically depressed
older adults - the higher the resistance, the better.
"There are no side effects," she said. "We should take it more
seriously."
Dementia is the biggest challenge facing older adults
Be creative and transform everything into a positive, she
said. "At least you tried," she tells her patients who didn't
succeed in going for a walk. "The more options we have, the
more likely we'll find something that works for everybody."
Those who've suffered from depression are more likely to get
dementia, Scalco said. "Every episode of major depression
increases the risk of dementia by 13 per cent."
Dementia, psychiatrist Dr. Ken Shulman said, is the biggest
challenge facing older adults. Shulman, Richard Lewar chair in
geriatric psychiatry and chief of neurosciences at Sunnybrook
and Women's Health Sciences Centre, said any insult to the
brain, such as depression, leads to dementia.
"What's really important is that we screen for dementia," said
Shulman, creator of the clock drawing cognitive test, which is
used to help detect dementia.
He encouraged psychiatrists, neurologists and physicians to
work together to treat the elderly.
"Psychiatrists don't feel connected to other doctors," he said.
"When all the resources are working together, we destigmatize
mental illness."
