will there be a difference between how Boomers age and how Gen-X ages?
I saw my father and father-in-law, who defined themselves by their jobs and their manhood. So retirement and the slowing of their bodies as difficult things to accept. My Mother, my aunt, my mother-in-law will always be mamans and have house, homes and babies around and when fatigue sets in -- well the littles are someone else's that they can send home!
My husband and I do not define ourselves as "the breadwinner". We work. We are parents. We are a lot more as well, and a lot of people we know are like this - hobbies, interests, educated (not just school).
So as the Baby-boomers pass on ... and we learn about the issues that are of most concern to them ... will MOST of them still be around when Generation-X is at that stage of the cycle? Already the tools each uses for their health is very different!
I agree that depression among the elderly is not normal, but it is common. Faced with the issues that many of the elderly have - health, social, financial - depression is likely, even without a history of depression. As people see their friends and family pass away there is a tendancy toward depression, financial restrictions and health issues are common themes for depression in the elderly.
However, many seniors are not depressed. They do not tend to look or act their ages. They are happy and healthy and take things in stride. Even many with the problems I listed above do not show depressive tendancies - these do seem to be seniors who have a strong support system around them. Unfortunately, I believe there are many seniors with multiple issues and not alot of support, this is why I think it is more common. I also think that there is a tendancy to undertreat the elderly because depression is expected. This is a shame.
Myth: Depression is a normal part of the aging process.
Fact: It is not normal for older adults to be depressed. Signs of depression in older people include a loss of interest in activities, sleep disturbances and lethargy. Depression in the elderly is often undiagnosed, and it is important for seniors and their family members to recognize the problem and seek professional help.
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