The possibilities of suffering from a depression increase as we get older. The medical profile of a depression is very varied on elderly patients and the fact that the cognitive deterioration may organize a pathoplasty is also to be taken into account so we must be very precise when making the differential diagnosis as the possibility of an organic pathology is higher.

It is highly more likely for women than for men to suffer this pathology, but the possibilities tend to equalize as people get older.

Depression affects between 5 and 15% of people older than 65 who live in our community (NIH, 1992) (3 - 5% Major Depressive Disorder; Disthymia 10 – 12%); the 15%-50% of elderly persons who live in an old people's home suffer from a certain depressive disorder, and 10% - 20%of hospitalized are depressed. Aethiologycal factors are multifactoral and can be classified in genetic, biological or psychosocial groups.

Regarding the treatment it is very important to make a global valuation as well as assuring the compatibilities and interactions of all the medicines to be taken, we must be careful at the beginning of the treatment and give the patient a progressive dosification of the medicines.

This report describes the main characteristics of depression on old people that may be useful to distinguish it from the affective pathology that affects another group of age, but it also deals with the therapeutic-non medical approaches that the family or others may use to help the patient.