20% of over-50s have experienced depression

ONE in five people aged 50 and older in Ireland have experienced depression but only 11% have been treated for the condition by a health professional, an expert on ageing revealed yesterday.

The findings are from Ireland’s most comprehensive study on ageing — the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing to be published in April.

More than 8,000 people, aged 50 and older have participated in the study led by Rose Anne Kenny, professor of clinical gerontology at Trinity College Dublin.