Depression and anxiety are common in later life but are never a normal part of aging — they are treatable medical conditions. In older adults they often wear disguises: physical complaints, irritability, withdrawal from favorite activities, memory complaints, or sleep and appetite changes rather than stated sadness or worry. Recognizing these presentations matters because untreated depression and anxiety worsen physical health, accelerate cognitive decline, and diminish quality of life. Any mention of hopelessness or of being a burden warrants a prompt, caring conversation and contact with a clinician; talk of self-harm is an emergency — call emergency services or a crisis line immediately.
Depression and anxiety in older adults often look different than in younger people — showing up as physical complaints, irritability, or withdrawal rather than obvious sadness, which means they're fr…