SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) – As the days get shorter and the nights get longer, many people may be feeling the effects of seasonal affective disorder on their mood. Lower levels of daylight often lead to lower levels of serotonin, a brain chemical responsible for regulating mood, according to The National Institute of Mental Health.
Fayetteville Senior Center director and cook manager, Janet Best, said that this seasonal depression can be a lot more common than people think, especially among the elderly.
“Most people in the age bracket of late 60s and up don’t like to talk about it,” she said. “They know they’re experiencing it, they know that there is something that has a name, but they don’t like to discuss it. It’s a taboo subject.”
Best said that seniors often struggle with depression as many of the activities they enjoy become harder to do as they age. Because of the stigma surrounding mental health, she said they often avoid admitting they have an issue.
“The older demographic just doesn’t want to discuss it when I think it’s really necessary that they understand that it’s a normal occurrence and more people than they think have it,” Best said.
Best said that at the center she notices a change in some of the seniors during the winter months and while she can’t confirm that their behavior is due to mental health struggles, she acknowledged that depression can make it harder for people to take care of themselves.
“In the last couple of years, we’ve actually found a few seniors who have passed away in their homes at this time of year. And you don’t know if it was just their time or whether it’s been sped up a little bit because of their mental status,” she said. “They don’t take care of themselves when they’re down. They don’t. They don’t take their medications, they don’t eat properly, and if they do go out they’re not doing anything other than little simple tasks.”
She believes that everyone needs a friend to check up on them this time of year, even if that friend is a place like the senior center, and wants to remind people that it gets better and that their bad days won’t last forever.
“You need a friend, you definitely need a friend,” Best said. “And that’s what we do.”
