(NAPSA)—Although depres- sion is common in older Ameri- cans, it is not a normal part of aging. It can be caused by poor health, poor sleep, a chemical imbalanceor illnesses such as diabetes or arthritis. Unfortunately, people who experience depression, and even those closest to them, don’t recognize the signs of depression and therefore don’t receive proper treatment. i) fy —a + ay @ a ™~ : (|4 It’s important to be able to recognize the signs of depression in order to diagnose and treatit. “Major life changes or medical illnesses can trigger depression,” says Daniel Perry, executive director of the not-for-profit Alliance for Aging Research. “And even mild depression can in turn make diagnosing and coping with those illnesses even more difficult. Depression is very treatable, but to do something aboutit, it has to first be recognized.” Supported by a grant from Eli Lilly and Company, the Alliance has developed a new brochure that can help people recognize the signs of depression in an aging parent or other loved one, and learn how to talk to that person about it. To obtain a free copy of the brochure, visit the Web site at www.agingresearch.org or call 1- 800-639-2421.
