Depression in the Elderly Center - San Rafael, CASan Rafael Psychiatrist Doctors for Depression in the ElderlyType of Physician: Psychiatrist What is a Psychiatrist? A certification by the Board of Psychiatry & Neurology; practitioners are skilled in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of mental, addictive and emotional disorders. He or she is trained to understand the biological, psychological and social components of illness and is qualified to order diagnostic laboratory tests and to prescribe medications, as well as to evaluate and treat psychological and interpersonal problems. The psychiatrist is also prepared to intervene with individuals and families who are coping with stress, crises, and other problems in living. Specialty: Psychiatry Common Name: Psychiatrist Doctors in San Rafael * H Spencer Bloch MD  Darrell I Gisvold MD  Seymour Boorstein MD  Shahla Chehrazi MD  Stephen M Raffle MD & Associates  Frederick N Parris MD  Nancy A Trahms MD  George D Trahms MD  Paul Gilbert MD  Carolyn N Gracie MD  Adam P Nelson MD  Peter J Walsh MD  Helen M Biren MD  Edward Oklan MD  North Bay Psychiatric Associates  Ralph D Bien MD  Calvin L Janzen MD  Martin Blinder MD  Scott Barshack MD  Howard I Levene MD  Scott E Olson MD  Patricia B Scott MD  Michael A Freeman MD  James C Mickle MD  Edwyne Nazarian MD  Ruth Noel MD  Arthur A Reiss MD  Drs Baum Gabby Obedzinski & Rowe  Farah F Khan MD  Arnold L Knepfer MD  Donald B Nevins MD  Drs Baum Gabby Obedzinski & Rowe  Judith Keins MD  O'Byrne & Taylor MDs  O'Byrne & Taylor MDs  Arthur M Hoffman MD  Stephen J Walsh MD  Rick Lavine MD  Sandra Grant MD  Bay Area Pain Medical Associates  Bay Area Pain Medical Associates  David N Richman MD  Child Adolescent & Adult Psychiatry  Isaac N Silberman MD  Drs Mandel & Panzarella  Richard A Goldwasser MD  Mark I Levy MD  Mark H. Swoiskin, MD  Igor Weisz MD  Richard A Blasband MD  Ann Marie Meagher MD  Eugene Schoenfeld MD  Arthur Colman MD  David A Browne MD  Nicholas Pappas MD  William A Dickman MD  Michael T Lowenstein MD  George Karalis MD  Sally Kaufmann MD  James H Reich MD  UCSF VA Medical Center  John Hiatt MD  UCSF VA Medical Center  UCSF VA Medical Center  UCSF VA Medical Center  UCSF VA Medical Center  UCSF VA Medical Center  Charles Ferris MD  Joseph Caston MD  Ilse K Jawetz MD  Ulrich Berg MD  B William Kilgore MD Inc  Irwin Gootnick MD  Stephen Karpman MD  B William Kilgore MD Inc  Robert T Levin MD  Patricia L Speier MD  B William Kilgore MD Inc  Community Psychiatry Associates  Wing H Yeung MD  John E Beebe MD  Charles Berger MD  Seymour Cohen MD  Charles P Connor MD  John M Dusay MD  Charles P Fisher MD  Steven Foreman MD  Erik Gann MD  Nanette Gartrell MD  Peter Greenberg MD  Robert A Kimmich MD  David B Leof MD  Philip M Liu MD & Paul N Snider MD  Catherine M Mallouh MD  Herbert Perliss MD  Ira Steinman MD  Arnold Wolfe MD  Nina Auerbach MD  Mark Bernstein MD  Yim H Chan MD San Rafael, CaliforniaUpcoming Local Events2012-06-16
2012-06-16
2012-06-24
2012-07-01
2012-07-28
2012-07-28
2012-08-05
2012-08-12
2012-08-26
2012-10-21
Depression in the ElderlyRead the Depression in the Elderly article » How does depression in the elderly differ from depression in younger adults?Depression in later life frequently coexists with other medical illnesses and disabilities. In addition, advancing age is often accompanied by loss of social support systems due to the death of a spouse or siblings, retirement, or relocation of residence. Because of changes in an elderly person's circumstances and the fact that elderly people are expected to slow down, doctors and family may miss the signs of depression. As a result, effective treatment gets delayed. Many seniors find themselves trying to cope with symptoms that could have been easily treated. Depression tends to last longer in elderly adults. It doubles their risk of cardiac diseases and increases their risk of death from illness. At the same time, depression reduces an elderly person's ability to rehabilitate. Studies of nursing home patients with physical illnesses have shown that the presence of depression substantially increases the likelihood of death from those illnesses. Depression also has been associated with increased risk of death following a heart attack. For that reason, making sure that an elderly person you are concerned about is evaluated and treated is important, even if the depression is mild. Depression in the elderly, especially elderly white men, is more likely to lead to suicide. The suicide rate in people ages 80 to 84 is more than twice that of the general population. The National Institute of Mental Health considers depression in people age 65 and older to be a major public health problem.
How is insomnia related to depression in the elderly?
Insomnia is usually a symptom
of depression. New studies reveal that insomnia is also a risk factor for
depression onset and To treat insomnia, experts recommend the newer "... Recommended Reading Related to Depression in the ElderlyWhat is Binswanger's Disease?Binswanger's disease (BD), also called subcortical vascular dementia, is a type of dementia caused by widespread, microscopic areas of damage to the deep layers of white matter in the brain. The damage is the result of the thickening and narrowing (atherosclerosis) of arteries that feed the subcortical areas of the brain. Atherosclerosis (commonly known as "hardening of the arteries") is a systemic process that affects blood vessels throughout the body. It begins late in the fourth decade of life and increases in severity with age. As the arteries become more and more narrowed, the blood supplied by those arteries decreases and brain tissue dies. A characteristic pattern of Binswanger's disease-damaged brain tissue can be seen with modern brain imaging techniques such as CT scans or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). What are the symptoms of Binswanger's disease?The symptoms associated with Binswanger'... Other Related Depression in the Elderly ArticlesEmergency Contact for San Rafael
Nearby San Rafael Hospitals *Kentfield Rehabilitation & Specialty Hospital Marin General Hospital Kaiser Permanente San Rafael Medical Center Novato Community Hospital Doctor's Medical Center San Pablo San Francisco VA Medical Center California Pacific Medical Center California Campus California Pacific Medical Center East Campus California Pacific Medical Center Pacific Campus Chinese Hospital Kaiser Permanente San Francisco Medical Center UCSF Medical Center at Mount Zion Saint Francis Memorial Hospital St Mary's Medical Center California Pacific Medical Center Davies Campus UCSF Medical Center at Parnassus Alta Bates Summit Medical Center Herrick Campus Laguna Honda Hospital & Rehabilitation Center San Francisco General Hospital St Luke's Hospital Alta Bates Summit Medical Center Alta Bates Campus Children's Hospital & Research Center Oakland Alta Bates Summit Medical Center Summit Campus Kaiser Permanente Medical Center at Oakland St Helena Hospital Center for Behavioral Health Kaiser Permanente Vallejo Medical Center Sutter Solano Medical Center Petaluma Valley Hospital Alameda County Medical Center Highland Campus Seton Medical Center Alameda Hospital Contra Costa Regional Medical Center Sonoma Valley Hospital Kaiser Permanente South San Francisco Medical Center VA Northern CA Healthcare System at Martinez Napa State Hospital Kaiser Permanente Walnut Creek Medical Center John Muir Behavioral Health Center John Muir Medical Center Walnut Creek Campus John Muir Medical Center Concord Campus Queen of the Valley Medical Center San Leandro Hospital Kindred Hospital San Francisco Bay Area John George Psychiatric Pavilion Alameda County Medical Center Fairmont Campus Mills-Peninsula Health Services Mills Hospital Eden Medical Center Seton Medical Center Coastside Telecare Solano Psychiatric Health Facility NorthBay Medical Center Palm Drive Hospital San Mateo Medical Center Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital Main Campus Kaiser Permanente Hayward Medical Center St Rose Hospital San Ramon Regional Medical Center Featured Articles*Provider Directory Terms of Use: The WebMD 'Provider Directory' is provided by WebMD for use by the general public as a quick reference of information about Providers. The Provider Directory is not intended as a tool for verifying the credentials, qualifications, or abilities of any Provider contained therein. Inclusion in the Provider Directory does not imply recommendation or endorsement nor does omission in the Provider Directory imply WebMD disapproval. |
Suggested Reading on Depression in the Elderly by Our Doctors
-
Related Diseases & Conditions
18 articles-
Parkinson's Disease
- Parkinson's disease is a slowly progressive neurologic disease characterized by a fixed inexpressive face, a tremor at rest, slowing of voluntary movements, a gait with short accelerating steps, peculiar posture and muscle weakness, caused by degeneration of an area of the brain called the basal ganglia, and by low production of the neurotransmitter dopamine. Most patients are over 50, but at least 10 percent are under 40.
-
Depression
- Depression is an illness that involves the body, mood, and thoughts and affects the way a person eats and sleeps, the way one feels about oneself, and the way one thinks about things. The principal types of depression are major depression, dysthymia, and bipolar disease (also called manic-depressive disease).
-
Dissociative Identity Disorder
- Dissociative identity disorder (formerly known as multiple personality disorder or split personality disorder) is a mental illness in which a person has at least two distinct personalities. Symptoms and signs include lapses in memory, feeling unreal, blackouts in time, hearing voices in their head that are not their own, not recognizing themselves in the mirror, and finding items in one's possession but not recalling how they were acquired. Treatment usually involves psychotherapy, medications, and sometimes hypnosis.
-
Huntington's Disease
- Huntington's disease is the result of degeneration of neurons in areas of the brain. Huntington's disease is an inherited disorder. Early symptoms include mood swings, apathy, depression, and anger uncharacteristic of the individual. Judgement, memory, and other cognitive functions may become impaired. Presymptomatic testing is available for individuals who have a family history of Huntington's disease. Treatment includes medication and therapy for symptoms.
-
Cushing's Syndrome
- Cushing's syndrome, sometimes referred to as hypercortisolism, is a hormonal disorder caused by prolonged exposure to high levels of the hormone cortisol. Symptoms may include obesity, thinning arms and legs, a rounded face, and increased fat around the neck. Some causes of Cushing's syndrome is from taking glucocorticoid hormones such as prednisone for inflammatory diseases. Treatment for Cushing's syndrome depends on the cause.
-
Grief: Loss of a Loved One
- Grief is the feeling one experiences after a loss (of a friendship, death of loved one, job). Complicated grief refers to grief that lasts for more than a year. Mourning describes the customs and rituals that help a bereaved individual make sense of their loss.
-
Alzheimer's Disease
- Alzheimer's disease is a common cause of dementia. Symptoms and warning signs of Alzheimer's disease include memory loss, difficulty performing familiar tasks, disorientation to time and place, misplacing things, and more. The biggest risk factor for Alzheimer's disease is increased age. Treatment for Alzheimer's is often targeted toward decreasing the symptoms and progression of the disease.
-
Hypercalcemia (Elevated Calcium Levels)
- Hypercalcemia is a condition in which calcium levels in the blood are elevated. Hypercalcemia is associated with other conditions such as hyperparathyroidism, lung cancer, breast cancer, kidney failure, and elevated levels of vitamin D. Symptoms of hypercalcemia include constipation, nausea, abdominal pain, kidney stones, to name a few. Treatment depends on the cause of hypercalcemia.
-
Fatigue
- Fatigue can be described in various ways. Sometimes fatigue is described as feeling a lack of energy and motivation (both mental and physical). The causes of fatigue are generally related to a variety of conditions or diseases for example, anemia, mono, medications, sleep problems, cancer, anxiety, heart disease, drug abuse, and more. Treatment of fatigue is generally directed toward the condition or disease that is causing the fatigue.
-
Insomnia
- Insomnia is the perception or complaint of inadequate or poor-quality sleep because of difficulty falling asleep; waking up frequently during the night with difficulty returning to sleep; waking up too early in the morning; or unrefreshing sleep. Secondary insomnia is the most common type of insomnia. Treatment for insomnia include lifestyle changes, cognitive behavioral therapy, and medication.
-
Gambling Addiction
- Compulsive gambling is a disorder that affects millions in the U.S. Symptoms and signs include a preoccupation with gambling, lying to family or loved ones to hide gambling, committing crimes to finance gambling, and risking importance relationships and employment due to gambling. Treatment may incorporate participation in Gamblers' Anonymous, psychotherapy, and medications like carbamazepine, topiramate, lithium, naltrexone, antidepressants, clomipramine, and fluvoxamine.
-
Dysthymia
- Dysthymia is a less severe form of chronic depression. Symptoms and signs include insomnia, suicidal thoughts, guilt, empty feeling, loss of energy, helplessness, sluggishness, and persistent aches and pains. Treatment may involve psychotherapy, electroconvulsive therapy, and antidepressants.
-
Mental Illness
- Mental illness is any disease or condition affecting the brain that influence the way a person thinks, feels, behaves, and/or relates to others. Mental illness is caused by heredity, biology, psychological trauma and environmental stressors.
-
Emotional Eating
- Emotional eating can be detrimental to one's efforts at weight loss. Learning to identify the situations and emotions that trigger overeating can help to break the habit and prevent future instances of compulsive eating.
-
Senior Sex
- Enjoying a satisfying sex life as we age is important to both physical and mental health. As we age, diseases and conditions may pose challenges in our sexual health, and sexual experiences. Learn how to manage your conditions and still have a gratifying sex life as you age.
-
Alzheimer's Disease Patient Caregiver Guide
- Caring for a loved one or patient with Alzheimer's can become a difficult and overwhelming task at times. This guide helps caregivers of individual's with Alzheimer's deal with communicating, bathing, and dressing; as well as problem solving with incontinence, sleeping, wandering; and coping with difficulties Alzheimer's patients present.
-
Binswanger's Disease
- Binswanger's disease is a type of vascular dementia that is caused by damage to the blood vessels that feed deep areas of the brain. Symptoms of the disease may include memory loss, mood changes, and difficulty with decision making. There is no specific treatment for Binswanger's disease. Symptoms may be managed with antidepressants and atypical antipsychotic drugs. Management of underlying diseases, including hypertension and diabetes, may help. Binswanger's disease is progressive and there is no cure.
-
Caregiving
- Most often, caregivers take care of other adults who are ill or disabled. Less often, caregivers are grandparents raising their grandchildren. The majority of caregivers are middle-aged women. Caregiving can be very stressful, so it's important to recognize when it's putting to much strain on you and to take steps to prevent/relieve stress.
-
Parkinson's Disease
-
Medications
11 articles -
Procedures & Tests
0 articles -
Pictures, Images & Quizzes
10 articles -
Doctor's & Expert's Views
9 articles -
Health News
5 articles -
Health Features
20 articles
