There is a perception and consensus within the mental health fields that aging is linked with an individual's increased risk of depression. Arguments hold that depression as an age concerns the aging process that is often associated with a decrease in physical and cognitive health. Aging also occurs with the transition from living with a spouse to being a widow, living alone, or living in a nursing home. Furthermore, retirements and deductions in economic stability are also important factors that contribute to depression even as one grows older. It is therefore logical that aging leads to an increase in depression since all the factors mentioned are positively associated with depression. There are many practical tests on the impact of maturity on mental well-being; thus the connection between age and factors that promote hopelessness is driven by the socio-demographic characteristics and physical and cognitive health of older people. Socio-demographic characteristics can be controlled for, making age a non-issue in explaining the mental health of older people. There are studies that say depression increases as you get older, while some studies say the opposite. However, research shows that the relationship between age and depression is not linear and follows a U- or inverse-U shape. Other studies also reveal that there is no relationship between age and depression due to many reasons which include; see age in various ways and measure depression with different tools. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Among the many significant risk factors for depression in older adults, physical health problems are cited as a major determinant of depression in humans. Research indicates that physical health is an important aspect of mental health, especially in later life. It is at an older age that most people experience limitations in activities of daily living. However, it is at older ages that the association between the number of depressive symptoms and the socio-economic determinants of marital status and education is strongly explained as part of the worsening of mental health. Physical health has a stronger impact on depression as you age than cognitive function. Poor physical health would depress anyone despite his age, while he is in old age; the physical health of individuals deteriorates dramatically; thus becoming a matter of great concern to the people (Blaze 250). Much research conducted to uncover the relationship between aging and depression uses cross-sectional data rather than longitudinal data. Cross-sectional data is the type of data that allows comparisons of people of different ages, while longitudinal data is information that captures the very age of the same individual studied over time. The difference in methods used by researchers is potentially contradictory as some findings suggest the possibility of group differences between age and hopelessness. Furthermore, research conducted by health officials has not been able to clarify the differences between the aging process and the potential effect of aging. age on depression. It is significant to understand the distinction between the general effects of the aging process and the effect of age itself on depression. The distinction involves the association between age and worsening health, leading the life of a widow or widower, retirement, and other life changes that occur as one grows older. The general effectof age itself on depression is useful for healthcare professionals to understand how to deal with the problem of depression among the elderly. Data on research conducted to clarify the relationship between aging and depression suggests that an increase in depression associated with aging is in every sense of the word attributable to declines in health. In contrast, some research shows that maturity protects people from depression when controls for health changes are introduced. Health changes may result in a system responsible for the physical health of adults in developing countries where the health sector is not completely stable. In most developed countries, the elderly are protected by a special insurance system that takes care of their health; thus protecting citizens from depression resulting from poor physical health in old age. Because claims from research conducted by various organizations are derived from cross-sectional data, they are not conclusive. Consequently, it is necessary to carefully examine longitudinal data to understand the relationship between age and depression. Research on gender and health has consistently revealed that women are more likely to be depressed than men. There are biological, historical, and cultural explanations for the variation in depression among older men and women. Furthermore, there are social components to the sex gap in depression. These components include age, race and education levels, poverty, marital status, and employment status. Sex differences in social risk and protective factors elaborately explain the sex gap in depression. There are many theoretical and empirical inconsistencies regarding the relationship between gender, age and depression similar to the theories underlying the concept of aging; therefore the topic is much debated (Medalia 5). One hypothesis formulated by researchers is that the sex gap in depression is due to both community and natural implications of individuals' productive years. For example, research shows that the sex gap in depression emerges during young adulthood and disappears after women enter menopause. In contrast, another hypothesis is that the gender age gap in depression tends to increase with advancing age. The theory is supported by information that older women are at greater risk of becoming widowed or falling into poverty than older men. The two competing hypotheses are challenged by a theory that states that sex gap depression should remain constant across the lifespan because there is sufficient evidence that women, throughout their lives, are consistently at greater risk of depression (Cole and Dendukuri 1147). The inconsistency in the empirical research conducted leaves many questions regarding the complex contradictory relationships. It becomes difficult to come to a general conclusion about whether people become more or less depressed as they age. It is also difficult to explain the theory behind how depression changes with age because there are conflicting ideas about changes in marital status, employment, and health. As it turns out, researchers have more of a job finding out what happens to the sex gap in depression as people come of age. Furthermore, it is clear that researchers need to uncover cohort differences in age-related depressive tendency. Additional statistics provide evidence for the idea that social and health changes are the main causes of the increase in depression with age. Age has been noted to have a distinct impact on depression levels. It is noted once again that the sex gap in depression tends to decrease withadvancing age. For example, statistics provide data that when men reach the age of 75, their levels of depression increase more than those of women. The research faces criticism as there is no support for the claim that the age trend in depression is due to cohort differences. Age itself is an underlying explanation for the contradictory research on aging, gender and depression as there is no clear measurement of age and depression in the age range between middle age and older age (Singh and Misra) . It is clear that the empirical research on aging and depression is both inconclusive and contradictory. There are studies that reveal that as you approach the age of 75, you are more likely to be depressed while other studies say the opposite; depression decreases with age. The inconsistencies are due to several factors, such as the nature of the studies conducted by researchers. For example, studies conducted to discover the relationship between depression and aging focus on small communities or even clinical samples. As it turns out, the studies do not necessarily reflect the entire population. Additionally, studies focus on different age groups, while others look at a wide range of ages between 19 and 91; thus having a small sample of older respondents. Other studies also focus on the elderly population, for example between 75 and 90 years old. There is therefore the possibility that the conclusions drawn from the results will differ depending on the comparison made between young, middle-aged and older adults. aging (Buber and Engelhardt 1). Empirical inconsistencies are also the result of age being operationalized differently and, in most cases, poorly as in most studies. Many studies treat age as a categorical or dual variable, causing it to be assessed differently. Once again, disparities in measuring the relationship between age and depression are due to the methods used to measure depression itself. Depression is often measured in two ways; as a summary score of depression severity or in a clinical manner. Clinically, depression is measured taking into account the criteria specified by the diagnostics of mental disorders. Studies using the old severity instrument are completely different from studies using the diagnostic measure of clinical depression. From the studies it is clear that it is mentioned who needs help from professionals and the type of help they need. Such studies tend to diagnose people with a specific disorder, claiming that depression is not due. The exclusive criteria used to measure depression are questionable as they produce underestimates of the prevalence of depression. It is unclear whether aging operates through its association with other life changes or simply through depression. There is a lot of evidence finding that increased depression is associated with age and worsening health. Other studies also reveal that there is a net protective effect of maturity on depression that is evident when an individual controls for health changes. For example, it is noted that an adaptation to all functional and social states leads to a decrease in depression throughout life. The decline in depression is a hint of the underlying benefit of maturity. Because the studies use cross-sectional data, they may not be able to separate the effects of aging and worsening health on depression. Longitudinal data may be preferred because it allows for an examination of health changes and aging on depression outcomes (Fiske, Gatz, and Pedersen 320). There are resultswhich repeatedly reveal the existence of numerous other factors related to depression in later life. Changes in marital status, employment status and physical health are factors that tend to be a major cause of depression, in addition to age itself. The factors are very similar between models where the variables are entered interchangeably. Marital status is said to be a major cause of depression for males more than females. Most statistics also find that divorce increases depression levels for most individuals, while depression scores for males are higher than those for females. The same statistics reveal that widowhood leads to an increase in depression in men compared to women. It is argued that levels of depression increase especially when couples divorce or become widowed when they are elderly. According to researchers, getting married is very protective of both men and women, while being a widow is slightly more depressing than getting divorced. It is also clear, according to studies, that employment status is a determinant of depression, depending on the age of the individual. Studies reveal that unemployed, there is no difference in depression for both males and females. Furthermore, there is no difference between being employed full-time or part-time or being retired. The protective effect of work is clear as being fully retired is known to increase desperation in both men and women. While retirement increases depression equally for both sexes, unemployment is a factor that increases depression at different levels. It is therefore clear that full retirement, especially at an older age, and the unemployment effect increase levels of depression for both males and females. Notably, most studies hypothesize that depression should increase as people age because aging is associated with reduced physical and cognitive health. Aging is also associated with widowhood and unemployment; factors which all lead to depression among individuals. The factors are classified as recent stressors in the life of any aging human being (Nemeroff 336). Studies also have recurring findings that decreased cognitive function may be associated with age and depression. In the true sense of the word, moving to a nursing home or assisted living can also be related to both age and depression. Some studies reveal that age and depression are associated with proximity to death. The elderly are therefore more depressed due to their fear of experiencing death. It is a normal phenomenon for human beings to experience certain feelings from time to time in their life. Others experience the same feelings intensely for long periods of time and sometimes for no apparent reason. Depression may be evident in most people due to its impact on physical and mental health. Research indicates that, on average, one in six people experiences depression at some point in their lives. The exact rate of depression among older adults is not yet known, although its impacts are clearly visible at a glance. Depression is therefore recognizable in older adults due to its adverse symptoms among older adults. Symptoms such as sadness, sleep and appetite problems make it easier to identify the fact that depression increases as you get older. Older adults normally have no control over such signals; so in many cases it has been shown that they are occasionally depressed. However, symptoms such as mood changes can be dismissed asa normal part of aging, while symptoms of depression could also be confused with other symptoms of certain health conditions. Older people who suffer from diseases such as diabetes are also at greater risk since the symptoms can be easily identified (Peyrot and Rubin 585). Some symptoms of depression in young people that may be a cause for concern, such as insomnia at night and social difficulties in older people can be assumed that withdrawal is part of old age. Research indicates that older adults are at risk of developing mental health conditions due to numerous risk factors such as serious illness and loneliness. However, there is a lack of evidence to support the perception that aging is a risk factor for depression in later life. In most cases, older adults have poor relationships with friends and family due to depression. The severe depression they experience ruins their quality of life and is sometimes life-threatening. Depression in the elderly is also recognizable due to memory problems associated with changes in the individuals' thinking levels. Older people find it embarrassing to talk about the problem of depression; therefore its consequences are clearly visible and can be associated with the contradictory concept. Personality traits are linked to the health risks to which each individual is exposed, especially in later stages of life (Kempen et al. 255). Research indicates that older adults are known to be depressed simply by observing their changes in behavior and character. Older people are extremely affected by depression, they suddenly feel altered. They tend to lose interest in things they used to enjoy; they may not have the energy to be cheerful and have difficulty sleeping; thus completely disorienting their quality of life. Symptoms of hopelessness among older adults can lead to chronic diseases such as diabetes, as revealed by a study on diabetes and depression (Knol et al. 843). Although aging must be anticipated, it is possible to prevent or treat depression among older people in society. It's mythical for people to think that at a certain age you aren't capable of learning new things or even trying to make new lifestyle changes. Research reveals that the human brain never stops adapting to new ideas such as overcoming depression. It would involve older adults finding new ideas and things to enjoy, learning ways to adapt to change, and staying physically and socially active. It would be significant to carry out adult education and inform the elderly about how they could cope with depressing situations such as loneliness. Personal help among older adults could be beneficial as older adults can overcome the threat of depression through simple activities such as exercise, connecting with others, and rebalancing their lives. It would be advisable for older adults to maintain a balanced diet, participate in activities they enjoy, and get enough sleep. Such measures are effective when applied to older people, similar to their application among young people. Furthermore, studies reveal that depression treatment for younger people is just as effective for older adults as it is for younger people. Depression treatment for adults can be slightly complicated as depression is often caused by some difficult life situations or challenges. Experts, therefore, must ensure that they address the issues that lead to depression in adults before deciding to treat the depressive threat. While elderly people can be treated for depression using the same.