Ask Dr Miriam

Q My elderly dad has been depressed for a while and even though he’s had several lots of antidepressants from his doctor, he doesn’t seem to be getting any better. A

I’m sad to say that depression lasts longer in older people, so treatment needs to be tailored according to age.

Dutch researchers found that the over-70s were two to three times as likely to still be seriously depressed after two years, compared with the under-30s. On average, remission takes longer in older people and recovery is three times less likely. Improvements in the severity of symptoms can be half that of the under-30s. The findings suggest that major depression in older people needs age-tailored treatment, quite different from younger people. Surprisingly, younger adults believe depression is normal in old age and think that dementia is inevitable. A sad reflection of our times.