SHOCKING RISE OF PENSIONERS SUFFERING DEPRESSION

NEARLY eight pensioners a week are being diagnosed with depression in Coventry and Warwickshire, alarming figures have revealed.

Analysis of NHS data shows there were 409 new diagnoses of the mental illness in people aged 65 and over in the region in 2016/17.

Of those, more than half (216) were for men while 193 were for women. Some 70 women were aged 75 and older at the time of their diagnosis, as were 70 men, while the rest were aged between 65 and 74.

The data does not reveal the total number of pensioners who were receiving treatment for depression, just new cases diagnosed within the year.

Because of this - and the fact that it is likely that there are more people in our area who are yet to seek help - the true number of older people living with depression could be far higher than the data shows.

The latest figures show 205 pensioners diagnosed with depression in 2016/17 in the Coventry & Rugby Clinical Commissioning Group region, 140 in South Warwickshire and 64 in North Warwickshire .

Symptoms of depression can include a lack of interest and inability to enjoy things, feeling tired, being reluctant to engage in usual activities or leave the house, and losing or gaining weight over a short period of time.

Loneliness in old age could be one reason why pensioners are getting depressed. According to Age UK, feeling lonely has been shown to heighten feelings of depression, anxiety and vulnerability.

The charity says that depression in older life can be triggered by bereavement, retirement and housing issues, among other things.

In fact, charity Independent Age says that more than one in three people aged 75 and older experience feelings of loneliness out of their control.

That is not surprising given that in England and Wales one in every eight households is occupied by a pensioner living alone.

Across England, there were 15,941 pensioners newly diagnosed with depression in 2016/17.

Joel Lewis, of Age UK, said: “We know that loneliness and bereavement are massive factors in pensioners getting depressed.

“Often pensioners are full-time carers for family members which can be isolating in itself, and when pensioners stop working they can also feel lonely. Financial issues from a lack of a job can also be a cause of depression.

“The chance of getting depression is seven times greater in people with two or more chronic health problems, which older people are more likely to have.

“Pensioners need to make sure they prioritise their mental health - and not just physical conditions - when visiting their GP. They may find that at the end of their appointment they haven’t even touched on their mental health at all.

“It’s important that we change attitudes towards mental health in older people because it isn’t just something that affects younger people.

“Cognitive behavioural therapies can help people with depression, but alarmingly we’ve found that the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme, which aims to refer 12% of pensioners on to treatment is actually referring just 6% of pensioners.

“One of the reasons for that could be because pensioners might have mobility issues which restrict them travelling to treatment.

“Older people with mental health concerns can research MindEd, which helps to educate about mental health in pensioners.”