Depression: Older Adults

-The Salvation Army, this is Bernie Dick, thanks for joining us and welcome wonderful words of life. Well Bernie welcome back Lori. We are in episode five theories of my fifth. I can't believe it likely to throw a party or something. I think it's a good idea factor should be cake glorious clean but were going to celebrate this week because in the United States, we recognize a day this week is Columbus Day. That's right, we sure do one day I'll have to remember my high school history class so I can tell all of our listeners about Columbus Day. You are exactly right. Or I could look it up in our national archives. As I get to travel to Washington wire or songster brigade as the Salvation Army calls and how funds could be a lot of fun aliyah if you see me out there. Please say hello. We are in week five of our series on mental health and this began on September 15, so if you've missed any episodes subscribed to the show where you get your podcasts or visit Salvation Army's outcast.org to get caught up this week were discussing depression among older adults. Lori, this is a very real situation.

It is very real. I want our listeners to hear this, you are not alone. That's right, you are not alone. In fact, the statistics are pretty scary when you think that an estimated 17.3 million adults in the US have had a major depressive episode, and more than 1/3 of those have never received treatment.

We talk a lot about transition in life, there are certain stages in life that we go through that bring so many different challenges in this one in particular among older adults is that depression and it's the depression that comes with loss either loss of independence, loss of those beloved people are losing spouses and those important to down there losing their health in some way their mobility, their independence and so depression among the older adult population severely very real. I don't even think of it, but what I want our listeners to hear is that basically if third of those people have never received treatment than one in three adults or older adults that you're looking at could be dealing with depression. So be empathetic, be compassionate as you interact with those people and you know what get away from your phones take time and just be be present with people. I think a lot of times just interaction with other people can often make us feel better.

I agree and I think so many older people are on their own. Maybe not.

Maybe they're being cared for in some sort of way that his first relationship. People really still pouring into them, and that's really really important. God brought you through a depressive episode or a mental health crisis. We'd love to hear your thoughts, prayers and comments on this series and we love to hear your testimony as well send us an email. radio@uss.salvationarmy.org or call one 800-2299 96. We are talking in our new series about mental health of your joined by Eliana Dawkins from Washington DC.

This is a beautiful woman of God. We are glad you're here. Thank you so much. You would not imagine looking at her that she's a mother of four and has been married for 19 years. She still has all of her hair and she said, which is great that we been talk about mental health. We broken down by age groups and this week for recalling part for week five. We are going talk about older adults to specifically depression in older adults depression. Now I am 49. Does that qualify me yet.

As an older adult, or do I strive a few more years. It qualifies you as an older adult, and sometimes we see depression, particularly in this age and faith is. We just brought it up, the sandwich generation okay meaning dad the majority of those are there raising their keys but are starting to have to also assume some care for either their spouse or a loved one, or perhaps their parents and so you have that added pressure of trying to not only maintain your house and your health, but also worry about the life of perhaps your love line. In addition, said that while this age you know you hit 40s. They all am free from societal pressures and things like that really starts to make you look at your life and I think does a summit is is where the word midlife crisis of our midlife crisis is come from because now why you believe you're right in the middle of your life.

Have you worked hard enough invested in the right way in terms of preparing for retirement, and my father enough along in my career I thought I would be leaked and bounds into my career or I really don't even like what I'm doing.

I really want to change and so those are kind of depressive things that happened in in that particular age range that we should be aware of. So depression in this particular phase of your life can come from just the decline in health, money, mobility, loss of job loss of a marriage and just the stress of trying to prepare and keep all of those things together in a nice little type boat where no one knows what's really going on in that added pressure just can continue to add up and add up and then now you have some wine who might be Ballin depression but also have all of these extenuating things that they need to take care of the same time I cannot fathom the idea of getting to know me a year away from 50 and regretting the past. I find strength and kinda looking forward but I must admit I've had regret other things I wish I did. I wish I could have done or but is it it's okay for me to to process that regret right I can I can have those feelings are just list looking forward to sort of thing is really healthy for you to process have those regrets because where you see regret. Someone else sees success.

So just being able to have someone as a springboard to talk about where you think you should be or where you thought you should have been in just finding appreciation that you still have life and breath that every experience has enhanced our life.

You can share that experience with someone else, but is those times when you are having those thoughts that out would occur that should have a wish I had done it this way that you keep to yourself that just keep you know, bringing your spirit down and then before you know it. Again, you're pulling yourself away from things are staking guessing what's been the most consistent thing in your life and so those are some of the instances that you shall look at is very normal in this particular part life and I want to make sure that I clarify that is normal when you are having another life transition you're moving from your 30 so you 40s from the 40s to your 50 but we should see it as God is giving you the opportunity to continue to have life there still purpose there because he still left you here, you just might have a little bit more things to deal with and so that's when you really should allow your community rely on your charts that your friends are support systems to just share because every person goes through those bows where they think that they're not good enough. You just have to change your thought process that I am good enough. This is part of aging and aging gracefully in that depression doesn't have to be your final story is just a party, a story I love it. In the United States. We have a talkshow host to a late-night talkshow guy named Jimmy Fallon and Jimmy was a comedian and actor and he's always so positive you know everything so good you're so good at. He's everybody's biggest fan and while I think sometimes it's it's hard to believe that everybody is so good. What I what I do love is that he's a cheerleader, you need to have people in your life that can be cheerleaders for you and hopefully that's a spouse or loved one.

So let your trust and also teach yourself to be your own best cheerleader know whether it's a Scripture or a positive thought you know anything you do for 21 days becomes a happy insult as being able to say you know I love today. I love my life and led me to first things you say in the morning can really come back on the chemical balances in your brain to help you know endorphins release exercising during this phase of your life.

It can be really, really great to be able to help you better bring this episode to a close. She started talk about exercise will probably focus on exercise in the later series of our producer will let us this series were titled mental health that I'm just afraid that she might make me get skinny again. It's okay, listen, we are glad that you joined us. I hope that you hearing something that you can cling to.

If you're battling any kind of mental health if you're feeling depressed, whether that's a momentary thing or a state of depression. We pray that you find help or find someone that you can talk to to help process this and if you have a church home that would be a good place to start if you don't Salvation Army has many many churches and communities that we serve the officers there who are pastors would be more than happy to either come alongside you or get you to someone that can help you. You join us. Hope you'll come back next week to wonderful life Salvation Army's mission doing the most good means helping people with material and spiritual needs. You become a part of this mission every time you give to the Salvation Army visit Salvation Army USA.org to offer your support and we would love to hear from you. Email us at radio@uss.salvationarmy.org or call 1-800-229-9965 or write us at PO Box 29972, Atlanta, GA 30359 20 contact us will send you our gift for this series is totally free for listeners like you, one per household, while supplies last.

You can also subscribe to our show on iTunes or your favorite podcast store and be sure to give us a rating. Just search for wonderful words of life follow some social media for the latest episode extended interviews and more. And if you don't have a church home invite you to visit your local Salvation Army warships are glad to see this is Bernie date inviting you to join us next time.

Salvation Army wonderful words of life