Old Age Psychiatry

Depression in older stages may be due to worries about past actions, or the separation of children due to illness or geographical problems. Dependence on others for daily routines and chronic diseases will affect the mental status adversely which may lead to depression in older age.

Dementia is characterised by the presence of memory loss and associated behavioural problems. Depending on the severity, the illness can have devastating consequences in the sense that they may become dependent on others even for their activities of daily living.

Though uncommon, delusional disorder mainly occurs in association with depressive disorder or other psychological disorders. Characterised by fixed beliefs which persists despite giving them adequate proof to disprove the same beliefs. May even present before the onset of a dementing illness or other neurodegenerative illness.