An article from the Viva Bem portal addresses depression in the elderly and highlights that persistent sadness in older adults is often not just part of aging—it may hide a health problem. In Brazil, approximately 36 million people are 60 years old or older, according to the Ministry of Health. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 15% of people aged 70 or older live with some mental disorder.
The text warns that in old age, depression does not always manifest through sadness. Symptoms such as apathy, social isolation, persistent pain, changes in sleep, appetite, and memory can also indicate the condition, which remains underdiagnosed. Depression and anxiety are common in this age group but often remain without proper diagnosis and treatment.
Geriatrician Luis Alberto Saporetti, from Hospital Sírio-Libanês, is quoted in the article and states that aging involves changes and adaptations to losses, but depression modifies the way a person lives. According to the specialist, sadness and depression are not synonyms, as sadness is a natural emotion. He warns that when feelings persist for too long, attention is needed, since depression involves loss of pleasure and lack of motivation.
