Typically, those who are around someone with depression tend to notice it much more than the person suffering. If you begin to notice that your loved one is sleeping a lot, has lost interest in activities they once enjoyed, exhibiting a change in eating habits or weight (loss or gain), or being in an overall “down” mood, you may be seeing signs of depression. Comments like “I’m no good anymore,” “I don’t want to do anything,” or “I wish I were dead” should be taken seriously and attended to. If you detect symptoms of depression in your loved one, it is crucial that you have them examined by a physician. Even if the physician has already diagnosed your loved one with dementia, they should still assess your loved one for depression, because depression can accompany dementia.

Antidepressant can help to alleviate the symptoms in a few weeks. Other interventions are good nutrition, good amounts of sleep (not too much and not too little), and exercise.

Tags: alzheimers, dementia, Depression