Late-life depression has been a major area of concern among health providers, with studies showing increased depression at a time when many face death of loved ones, isolation, medical problems or changes in economic status. Kara Zivin, lead author on a study recently published in the [*Journal of General Internal Medicine*](http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs11606-013-2533-y), says she and her coauthors found improvements in this trend from 1998 to 2008, with the most pronounced drop in depressive symptoms in people in the 80-84 age group.

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