smitter and receptor changes, cognitive impairment, and dementia increase the risk of depression (winter 1996). As more factors enter the equation and the patient becomes more depressed, the likelihood of a suicide attempts increases.
             As previously mentioned, diagnosing depression in the elderly can be a challenging task due to all of the factors involved. When considering if an individual is depressed, one must examine the individual's background, cognition, medical history, etc. In order to diagnose depression, there are written and oral inventories of a person's mind that need to be performed. Symptoms of severe depression include: diminished interest in usual activities, significant weight loss or gain, insomnia or hypersomnia, psychomotor agitation or retardation, fatigue or loss of energy, feelings of worthless
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