in industrialized countries today, many elderly people suffer from depression. the main cause of this is loneliness in the past, older people usually livedwith other fo the family. they usually had some responsidilities around the home. for example, older women could help take care fo the children or prepare meals. older men conld held their sons at work or around the house. thesedays, married children often prefer to live on their own, sometimes far away from their parents. thus, older people may de cut off from family ties. they may feelcut off from the world around them. life has changed so much so quickly that oledr people sometimes feel that they do not belong any more.