Grief vs. Depression In Seniors And Assisted Living Care In Phoenix

Age brings with it an abundance of change. The changes that age brings which can range from moving away from family homes or coping with a terminal diagnosis to the loss of loved ones can be jarring and bring about seasons of grief. It can often be tough to distinguish between grief and depression in an individual with this distinction being made more difficult when working with the elderly, given that there are typically many other changes taking place at the time of diagnosis. Living in an ageist society stimulates anxiety around the natural process of growing older, which coupled with the challenges and changes that come with growing older, can make depression and grief in seniors close bedfellows.

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Change and loss can be very painful, and they are a cornerstone of our existence as humans. One of the most common changes faced by individuals as they age is loss. We all are destined to grieve at some point whether it’s loss of our work, loved ones, independence, or our health. It should be noted that grieving is a normal and healthy response to these transitions and changes. Although it can be tough, there is incredible value in facing and working through these emotions.

It is important to understand the differences between grief and depression in older adults. Although both are often treated similarly, the course of action is not same for both. If an individual is experiencing both grief and depression at the same time, it needs to be addressed in treatment which can only occur if they are properly identified.

But, how do we experience grief and depression differently?

Grief often rides like a wave, to put it simply. A grieving person can usually find moments of light-heartedness inside the darkness, something to spur a smile whereas depression often feels like being buried in a dark hole where no light comes through for extended periods of time. It’s important for depression to be properly diagnosed so that treatment can begin at the earliest possible time, but it all too often goes undiagnosed.

Individuals going through depression may experience the symptoms of grief in addition to the symptoms of depression.

Symptoms Of Grief– Loss of appetite; poor concentration; poor sleep; fatigue or low energy; mild feelings of guilt; happy and sad memories; sadness, despair, mourning. Individuals eventually return to equilibrium and normal life.

Symptoms Of Depression– Helplessness, suicidal thoughts, loss of interest in hobbies or activities, agitation, exaggerated fatigue, exaggerated guilt, low self-esteem, feelings of worthlessness. Apart from daily functioning being impaired, feelings are relentless and carry a danger of suicide.

Stages Of Grief:

Although the journey through grief is different for every person, there are 5 stages of grief that an individual typically experiences. Keep in mind that these stages aren’t linear and not every person will go through every stage:

1. Denial (this stage helps an individual survive the loss)
2. Anger (this stage emerges as denial fades)
3. Bargaining (this stage is a sequence of “if only…..” statements)
4. Depression
5. Acceptance (this is a phase of withdrawal and calm)

Ways to help your loved one through grief:

It can be painful to watch a loved one grieve, friends and family often feel helpless. We are listing a few things you can do to help a loved one walk through the process:

1. Instead of leaving your loved one to process things and then be there in the aftermath, reach out to them as knowing someone cares can be incredibly comforting.
2. Acknowledge that things are hard right now, what we mean is acknowledge the pain. Stay prepared to sit with them in their grief.

Your beloved may not be in a place to talk about what is going on, if they are and they initiate the conversation, listen to them without interjecting your own thoughts or opinions.