Tag Archives: elderly

Depression in Older Adults: Treatment

Posted on May 3, 2013 by Bob Ritzema

This is the last of a series of posts about depression in older adults.  The first post was on symptoms; the next two (here and here) were on causes.  This post is about treatment. Since depression in the elderly may be difficult to distinguish … Continue reading →

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Older Adults Month

Posted on May 1, 2013 by Bob Ritzema

May is Older Adults Month, per government proclamation.  This is a tradition; the site for the federal Administration on Aging states that “Every year since 1963, May has been a month to appreciate and celebrate the vitality and aspirations of … Continue reading →

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John Paul II on Contributions of the Elderly: Wisdom and Story

Posted on April 23, 2013 by Bob Ritzema

In 1999, Pope John Paul II wrote a letter which he addressed “To my elderly brothers and sisters!”  In it he reviewed Biblical passages pertinent to the elderly, reflected on the role of the elderly in society, and provided pastoral … Continue reading →

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On the Superfluity of Electric Power, the Internet, and Other Newfangled Inventions

Posted on April 17, 2013 by Bob Ritzema

James Thurber, in My Life and Hard Times, described his grandmother’s suspicions of electricity, at the time a new and mysterious technology.  She “lived the latter years of her life in the horrible suspicion that electricity was dripping invisibly all … Continue reading →

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Should We Become Elderly or Just Grow Old?

Posted on April 10, 2013 by Bob Ritzema

The term “elderly” has fallen on hard times.  A recent NPR segment by Linton Weeks reports that listeners objected to an NPR story that described a 71 year-old midwife as elderly.  One listener wrote “I was 70 in Feb and … Continue reading →

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Depression in Older Adults: Causes

Posted on April 3, 2013 by Bob Ritzema

Last week, I posted about the characteristics of depression in the elderly.  I’m now following up with a discussion of the causes of depression in this age group.  What causes depression in the elderly is quite similar to what causes depression at other … Continue reading →

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Depression in Older Adults: Symptoms

Posted on March 27, 2013 by Bob Ritzema

Sally was feeling sad.  This wasn’t a new experience for her; depression had been a frequent visitor throughout life.  Having grown up with an alcoholic, physically abusive father and a mother who provided little care and blamed her for the … Continue reading →

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