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Vitamin D Deficiency Can Lead to Depression in Seniors  By Jean-Marc Mira from the Home Instead Senior Care Houston & Bay Area, Texas.

Q. I’ve noticed that my 79-year-old dad, who has been widowed for nine years, seems depressed lately.  He’s always had lots of friends and a great social life.  I just can’t explain this.  Can you?  

Please encourage your father to get a physical.  There are many reasons why he might be experiencing depression including illness or medication imbalance.  But only his doctor will know for sure. 

Here’s one interesting study that found older adults with low blood levels of vitamin D and high blood levels of a hormone secreted by the parathyroid glands may have a higher risk of depression. In fact, symptoms of depression in about 13 percent of older individuals have been linked to vitamin D deficiency, according to the report from the May issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

Blood vitamin D levels were 14 percent lower in individuals with major and minor depression compared with non-depressed participants, according to the study. The findings may be important to patients because both low blood vitamin D levels and high parathyroid hormone levels can be treated with higher dietary intake of vitamin D or calcium and increased sunlight exposure.

Since your father is widowed, perhaps he is getting to a point in his life when he might value and benefit from a little extra help around the house.  Or a friend to accompany him to doctor’s appointments or social events might provide a boost as well.  How about someone to help him with groceries, errands and other transportation needs?  Or perhaps he would like a companion who can assist with medication reminders?

He can have all of that support with a CAREGiver from Home Instead Senior Care Houston & Bay Area.  CAREGivers are screened, trained, bonded and insured and may be just what your dad needs to help him through this difficult time.  CAREGivers also provide peace of mind for family members when they can’t always be there to help their loved ones.  A second set of eyes could be just what you need as well to help put your mind at ease about your father.

For more information about Home Instead Senior Care Houston, Clear Lake, Pasadena, Friendswood, Webster, Baytown, Pearland contact Jean-Marc Mira at (281) 484-0200 or visit Home Instead Houston.  For more about the Vitamin D study, log on to http://pubs.ama-assn.org/media/2008a/0505.dtl