When you see your healthcare provider for depression, they will: 

• Ask questions about your mood
• Use screening tests and questionnaires to help find out if you have depression and how severe it is
• Talk with a family member, if needed, who knows your normal moods. They can report changes and family history of depression.
• Check for other diseases that can cause symptoms like depression. These diseases include:
  • Stroke
  • Congestive heart failure
  • Chronic kidney disease (especially for people on dialysis)
  • Cancer
  • Parkinson’s disease
  • Thyroid problems
  • Chemical imbalances (for example, low potassium levels)
  • Nutritional problems (such as low vitamin B12 levels)
  • Infection
  • Other mental problems (such as dementia or delirium)

Healthcare providers often do not notice or treat depression at the end of life, when people are dying. Depression and distress lower a person’s quality of life. They can make pain and other symptoms worse. Depression can make it hard for people to say goodbye to loved ones.

Last Reviewed and Updated: October 2026 
By: AGS/HiAF Public Education Committee, HealthinAging.org Content Reviewers