Longevity plays role in depression: Doc

CHENNAI: Narayanan, 75, is a successful businessman coping with depression. The septuagenarian often finds himself overwhelmed by sadness and unable to carry out everyday tasks.
On the one hand, life expectancy has increased due to advancements in medical science, but the same longevity, on the other hand, has indirectly contributed to depression among scores of elderly people like Narayanan.
Psychiatrist Dr Sridhar Vaitheswaran from Schizophrenia Research Foundation said the inability to perform a routine or an activity to which a person is habituated over the years, such as a long walk or prolonged reading, can cause frustration and loneliness and eventually lead to depression. The doctor interacted with a small group of elderly on issues of ‘ageing and mental health’ on Sunday at a meeting organised by Udhavi, a volunteer group for the elderly.
“Longevity per se doesn’t lead to depression. When a person, who is perhaps in his 70s, is struggling to do things he was doing in his 50s and when there is no system in place to help deal with longevity, for example, a better laid road or a disabled-friendly building, it may contribute to frustration and loneliness and eventually it may lead to depression,” the psychiatrist said.
He added that such cases contribute to about 30 to 40 percent of patients seeking expert help.
However, one most common factor with most is the loneliness due to the lack of presence and care from children. “When children go abroad seeking greener pastures, at the end of the day it makes the parents feel lonely. They long to see their children. Loneliness can contribute to diseases,” said Sabitha Radhakrishna, founder chairperson, Udhavi.
It is to stave off such loneliness that Udhavi has been involving volunteers to help the elderly in a range of activities, right from their day-to-day activities to teaching them to use computers. “They help them in small things like taking them to the bank. We have volunteers right from the age of 18 years. It is so rewarding to see them happy,” Sabitha added.