Depression is a significant problem that is common among elderly patients. The prevalence is quite high, effecting approximately 15% of the population of over 65 years.1 Among patients with chronic diseases and those with a longer care the prevalence of depression is even higher, which is 10% to 60%. Several studies demonstrate that the comorbidity of depression and physical diseases a patient suffers creates a worse prognosis and increases mortality.2'3 Disease management becomes more difficult and not optimal because depression could cause the patient to eat less and become less cooperative in following the treatment, thus resulting in a poorer medical condition.
Depression is generally commonly found in the elderly. Nevertheless, diagnosing depression in the elderly is not easy. Approximately 60% of depression patients have a co-morbid physical disease.2Detection of depression among geriatric patients is often delayed due to unspecific symptoms. Delayed detection results in delayed management, which has a bad impact on the patient's medical condition and response to treatment. This is also why co-morbidity of diseases and depression has a higher mortality rate. The following are several cases of hospitalized patients suffering from depression and a co-morbid illness