Existing data on the treatment, course, and outcome of depression are
not representative of the older depressed person who is most frequently
encountered in clinical practice. If mental health services are to become
more effectively applied, late-life depression should be conceptualized not
as a categorical disorder but as a geriatric syndrome with multiple
etiologies requiring a combination of treatments. To support this argument,
the author reviews the prevalence of late-life depression across clinical
and community settings and in association with somatic and central nervous
system conditions. He recommends a comprehensive geriatric assessment and a
tripartite treatment approach incorporating definitive, rehabilitative, and
supportive interventions.
Abstract Teaser