Depression is not just part of getting older
Unhurried psychiatric care for low mood later in life, in Minot and by telehealth in North Dakota and Iowa.
Book a Free 15-Minute ConsultWords You Might Use
- I figured feeling this low just comes with age.
- The days are long, and I hardly see anyone now.
- I don't enjoy the things I used to, and I don't know why.
- Since the funeral, I can't seem to get going.
If you have said something like this, even only to yourself, it deserves a real conversation.
More Than Getting Older
You may have been told, or told yourself, that feeling low is simply part of aging. Later life does bring real losses: people, health, independence, sometimes a home you lived in for decades. Depression is still a health condition, and it deserves the same attention at 75 that it would at 35.
My nursing work in long-term care gave me a lasting interest in the mental health of older adults, and geriatric mental health is one of my specialties. Low mood can be easy to miss when it sits beside a long list of other health concerns, so I take the time to look at it on its own terms.
What Can Weigh on You Later in Life
Depression later in life can be bound up with other changes, so we look at what surrounds it.
Loss and Grief
The death of a spouse, friends or siblings, and the quieter losses too: a home, a role, the work that once gave your days their shape.
Changes in Your Health
A new diagnosis, ongoing pain or a body that can't do what it used to, and the low mood that can follow.
Fewer People Around
Seeing friends less, giving up driving or living alone, until whole days can pass without a real conversation.
Being Told to Accept It
Hearing that this is just your age, or telling yourself not to complain, when what you are feeling deserves care.
Starting at Your Own Pace
Each step leaves room for questions, and the evaluation is unhurried.
- 1
A Free Phone Consult
Fifteen minutes to tell me what has been going on and ask anything you like about how care works here.
- 2
An Unhurried Evaluation
60 to 90 minutes, so a long history does not have to be squeezed in. It can be in person at the Minot office, or by telehealth if travel is hard.
- 3
Regular Follow-Up
30 to 45 minutes to review how you are feeling, how any medication is working alongside the rest of your health, and what to change.
Hope, Without Promises
I can't say how long it will take for the days to feel lighter, and I won't guess. Later in life there can be more to weigh, including other health conditions and the medications you already take. What we work toward is a plan that fits your life as it is now, with your dignity and overall wellness in view.
I believe healing begins with compassion. You deserve to have your history taken seriously and to feel seen, heard and supported, whatever your age. A long life brings a long story, and there is room for it here.
Fees in Brief
Rates are simple: the 15-minute phone consult is free, an initial evaluation is $300, and a follow-up session is $125.
- Consult
- $0
- 15 min
- Evaluation
- $300
- 60 to 90 min
- Follow-up
- $125
- 30 to 45 min
Questions About Depression Later in Life
I've never seen anyone for my mental health. Is it too late to start?
Not at all. Depression deserves attention at any age, and a first evaluation is a reasonable place to begin, whatever your history.
How do I know if this is grief or depression?
Grief and depression can look alike, and they can overlap. Looking carefully at what you are carrying, and how it is affecting your days, is part of the evaluation.
What if I have thoughts of ending my life?
Please call or text 988 or call 911 right now. This practice is not an emergency service, and you deserve help without delay.
Feeling low deserves care at any age
A free 15-minute consult is a gentle first step, with time for your questions.
Book a Free 15-Minute Consult