DEPRESSION AND PERSPECTIVES OF LIFE OF THE ELDERLY IN GREECE

Abstract

Depression is a common and painful reality for a large percentage of older people. The way depressive symptoms are managed and perceived, is a strong predictor of the quality of life of the elderly with depression. The purpose of this qualitative study is to investigate depression definition and how it is managed by the elderly in Greece. The sample consists of 5 men and 6 women (N = 11), aged 65 to 73 years. Semi-structured interview was used for data collection and thematic analysis was applied to examine them. The results indicated that older people experience depression as a negative period compared to their past periods that were functional, as they mention that they developed psychosomatic symptoms, negative emotions, and a negative change in their relationships with others. The way depression is perceived is intertwined with the way it is managed. Feelings of frustration, denial, and pessimism lead to a passive attitude, shifting the energies of healing to external factors. Awareness and acceptance lead to active action, which refers to the identification of functional ways of management, a fact that could aim healing. The provision of support to the elderly from their family environment, a procedure that is very commonly used in Greece, in collaboration with health services, seems to be related to active action and adaptation. Lack of support is associated with denial and avoidance, reinforcing passive attitude, and reducing their levels of adjustment.