Depression and Suicide in Older Adults Resource Guide

Depression and suicide are significant public health issues for older adults. Depression is one of the most common mental disorders experienced by elders, but fortunately is treatable by a variety of means. Current cohorts of older adults in the United States evidence lower rates of major depression than younger cohorts, but experience minor depression or significant subsnydromal depressive symptoms at rates equal to or greater than younger groups. Adults soon to enter later adulthood, most notably the so-called Baby Boom cohort, seem to be evidencing depressive disorders at significantly higher rates than previous groups; this trend towards greater incidence of depression in subsequent cohorts seems steady. The reasons for these changes are the subject of much debate and not clearly understood. Because depression tends to be a recurrent disorder, this means that many older adults will have experienced previous bouts of depression and will be at increased risk.