By Anandpreet Kaur | Malaysia |
You may be advanced in age. At times, you may even feel sad or down. But that need not be your default state.
Feeling sad or down sometimes is a normal part of life, but if these feelings last a few weeks or months, you may have depression, cautions a Malaysian-based psychiatrist.
“Depression in older people is often under-detected and untreated. Unfortunately it gets missed by family members who sometimes are far too busy and involved in their own lives. Some attribute the emotional changes to growing old. But it should never be regarded as a normal consequence of ageing. And appropriate treatment is available,” Dr Bilbir Kaur Chingara Singhh tells Asia Samachar.
Dr Bilbir, who retired from Malaysia’s Health Ministry after serving more than 30 years, will speak on ‘Depression in the Elderly’ in a Facebook live session tomorrow (3 Aug 2021, 3pm-4pm Malaysia time) in mental health virtual forum series organised by Wadda Gurdwara Sahib Penang (WGSP).
The session will be broadcast live on the gurdwara’s Facebook page. Asia Samachar is a supporting partner of the forum.
Before retirement, Dr Bilbir held various positions, including as head of department of Psychiatry and Mental Health in Hospital Raja Permaisuri Bainun Ipoh, Hospital Pulau Pinang and Hospital Taiping. She is now the Head of Psychiatry in Faculty of Medicine at Quest International University Perak and consultant psychiatrist at an Ipoh-based private hospital.
Over the years, Dr Bilbir said she had treated quite a number of elderly Sikhs.
What are the causes for depression? She said the aetiology ranged from losing a spouse, loneliness, unhappiness, unhappy with living arrangements (noisy ill-disciplined grandkids / uncaring in laws) retirement and a sense of worthlessness, empty nest syndrome and of course genetic loading and a history of substance abuse.
“Some of them felt there was no need to enjoy life now that they are old! A change in mind set and attitudes along with medication and long term therapy including family sessions went a long way in treating these individuals,” she said.
Dr Bilbir has much more to say on this topic. Tune in tomorrow. If you have elderly folks in your midst who may need help, this is your opportunity to talk to an expert.
The virtual forum sessions will be moderated by WGSP committee secretary Sukhveer Kaur, Youngo human rights working group coordinator Alka Kaur and Prof Ishwar Parhar from the Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine & Health Sciences.
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ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs / Punjabis in Southeast Asia and beyond.Facebook | WhatsApp +6017-335-1399 | Email: editor@asiasamachar.com | Twitter | Instagram | Obituary announcements, click here |
