The age of the NHS means that older people with depression are much less likely to be referred for treatment



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AThe study found that only 3.5% of cases had been referred for treatment – the older cases being even fewer.

Overall, people aged 85 and over were five times less likely to be referred for psychological therapies, such as people over the age of 50.

And older patients were one third more likely to be prescribed an antidepressant.

The researchers said the "age stereotypes" of doctors, therapists and nurses meant that they too often thought that older people would be "reluctant to change" or indifferent to speech therapies.

"It was felt that late depression lacked appropriate therapeutic solutions because it was mainly due to" justifiable "causes, many of which were related to aging," said the authors.

"GPs described depression as part of a spectrum that included loneliness, lack of social network, reduced function, and very much perceived depression as" understandable "and" justifiable, "they said. discovered.

Professor Helen Stokes-Lampard, President of the Royal College of GPs, said, "Antidepressants can be effective medications, but we know that in general, patients do not want to take long-term medications – and generalists do not want it, either.

"We will always try to explore alternative therapies, such as CBT and talking therapies, but access to these therapies in the community is heterogeneous across the country – and we also lack variety to allow us to adapt these therapies. services to specific needs. the needs of our patients.

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