Non-pharmacological methods of treating depression in the elderly are effective and not toxic: a minireview

Abstract

Psychological depression is a frequent disorder still underdiagnosed and untreated in the elderly. It is treated like something that belongs to the last phase of life. Depression is known to compromise the quality of life near death. Pharmacological therapy is not always possible in this group because of frequent adverse effects and interactions with other drugs used and limited time until death. Besides pharmacological therapy, there are many non-toxic non-pharmacological therapies, more suitable for this population. These therapies, like cognitive behavioural therapy or mindfulness meditation therapy as well as many others, are confirmed to be effective and safe in this population. Some of these therapies are suitable for cognitively impaired patients.