Grief vs Depression in Seniors: How to Tell the Difference

It's an unfortunate reality that nearly everyone will have to face grief at some point. These experiences can be exceptionally difficult at any age bracket, but how does grief impact the elderly? The World Health Organization estimates that depression exists in about 10%-20% of older adults.

Pflugerville, TX, is an excellent city to live in when focusing on senior mental health. Here at Sage Valley, our senior living community offers meaningful emotional support for aging. Whether you're here for the tight-knit community or the family environment, there's always something to help keep your spirits up.

If you're curious about grief vs depression and senior mental health, we're here to help. Read on for a brief overview of how to spot the signs and what symptoms are most common.

What Is Depression?

To understand the topic, it's important to understand what depression is. That way, we can make a full decision in grief vs depression, especially with how it relates to seniors.

Depression is a blanket term that we use for several different conditions. These are all considered depression due to having similar symptoms, with a handful of differences in causes. Some types of depression include:

Major Depression
Seasonal Depression
Persistent Depression

Another crucial factor is that depression doesn't need to have an experience to cause it. Depression is often passed through one's family and can result from different causes. This differs from grief, which is generally a response to the loss of a loved one.

Symptoms of Depression

It's important to understand that depression differs from person to person. That's especially the case when we consider the different paths senior citizens work, as well as the impact of many medications.

While experiences are unique regardless of age bracket, there are some symptoms that are similar enough to be considered common symptoms. While those are included here, we urge you not to see this as an exhaustive list. Please reach out to your doctor if you are concerned you're showing signs of depression.

Reduced Appetite and Weight Changes

One of the most common experiences with depression is changes in appetite. That can cause significant problems, given that a healthy diet is important for seniors above all.

Depression can also cause sufferers to have rapid weight gain. That symptom in particular is shared with countless conditions, so please don't assume you have depression from putting on a few pounds.

If you're battling difficulties with appetite, quality food could be the issue. Our Elevate dining can help you experience an enhanced culinary experience.

Feelings of Anxiety

Anxiety is also an exceptionally common symptom of depression. Many depression disorders are confused with (or diagnosed along with) anxiety disorders.

According to KFF, roughly 25% of older adults (adults above the age of 65) deal with either depression or anxiety.

Anxiety is a common symptom with grief as well. That makes it difficult to diagnose depression solely on this symptom. We urge you to speak to a medical professional if you're experiencing heightened anxiety.

Physical Ailments

Another difficult symptom to spot is inexplicable physical pain. If you wake up with a sudden headache, a sore back, or aching muscles, it's commonly caused by depression.

The only issue is that this is an exceptionally common experience for everyone, regardless of their mental health. Such an experience is even more common in our later years, which can cause this to be one of the easiest symptoms to overlook.

Our Sage Valley care team is happy to help you focus on your health and well-being. If you're experiencing physical difficulties, we recommend speaking to a medical professional.

Exhaustion and Disinterest

Finally, feelings of exhaustion and disinterest are exceptionally common among the depressed. Fatigue in general can be a challenging symptom.

Seniors already find themselves struggling with feeling energized. According to Nature.com, more than 40% of seniors experience physical fatigue. The same study rises to more than 58% when including mental fatigue.

What Is Grief?

Now that we have a grasp on depression, how does it interact with grief?

To some, grief seems simpler in that it has a single source. However, anyone who's experienced grief can tell you that the condition is far from simple.

Grief is an exceptional personal condition. While many people suffer from similar symptoms, please understand that your journey is a personal and heartfelt experience.

What Causes Grief?

Grief is caused by the loss of a cherished person. The person may be a loved one, a family member, or a close friend.

According to Medical News Today, grief can feel intense enough to cause depression. However, depression is unable to cause grief.

Grief comes from your personal connection with the deceased. The emotional impact of loss relies heavily on your connection to them, your relationship, and many other deeply personal factors.

Symptoms of Grief

Symptoms of grief are often split into two primary categories, emotional and physical. Many of these symptoms are identical to depression symptoms.

Emotional Symptoms

Emotional symptoms are often the first things we think of with grief. Sadness and sorrow at the loss of a loved one are the defining symptoms, after all.

Other emotions may include a high amount of guilt, though this is exceptionally personal. Emotional whirlwinds of anger and sadness are also common, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Physical Symptoms

Loss puts an extreme amount of stress on your body. It can weaken your immune system or even cause your nervous system to become overloaded. Some physical symptoms include:

Fatigue
Headaches
Weakened muscles
Tightness of muscles
Difficulty sleeping
Restlessness

This is far from an exhaustive list, and there can be many causes behind these symptoms in grief vs depression.