The Growing Risk of Senior Depression and Its Greater Threat Compared to Dementia

“Recently, elderly depression (age-related depression) has been rapidly increasing. Depression can occur regardless of age, but according to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, the prevalence of depression among those aged 65 and over reaches 13.5%. With Japan’s aging population rapidly increasing and the proportion of seniors continuing to grow, the issue of elderly depression has become more apparent and relatable.”

This is being discussed by Dr. Takashi Hosaka, a psychiatrist and director of the Hosaka Psycho-Oncology Clinic. Dr. Hosaka recently published “How to Live Free from ‘Elderly Depression’ That Only a Psychiatrist Knows” (Shufu-to-Seikatsu Sha), and has shared his thoughts on aging in other works as well.

According to Dr. Hosaka, depression not only makes daily life painful and difficult, but also, if left untreated, can lead to a vicious cycle of becoming reclusive, weakening physically, and further risking dementia and bedridden conditions. In fact, many elderly people find depression scarier than dementia.

As for the author, having passed 50, they are now a member of the aging population. They find ‘elderly depression’ to be a serious concern. While dementia seems to be the primary issue in old age, they wonder what exactly elderly depression entails.

“Elderly depression can present symptoms similar to those of dementia, and sometimes both conditions can occur simultaneously, leading to confusion between the two. Dementia generally begins with memory issues like forgetfulness and progresses slowly.

On the other hand, elderly depression can be triggered by stress and lead to physical symptoms such as insomnia and loss of appetite, as well as psychological symptoms like anxiety and decreased motivation. In cases of elderly depression, many people are aware that their cognitive functions are declining even though their awareness is clear and they can still move. This makes distinguishing it from dementia necessary. A key difference is that in elderly depression, there is a strong sense of suffering and lack of happiness, which is not typically found in dementia.”