Some disorders are most common amongst older individuals while others are non age discriminatory however, it is important to note that the symptoms of the same disorder can express themselves differently amongst age groups and thus, vary in symptoms between individuals. Common symptoms of a disorder may lead to certain adverse effects in a younger individuals that are not exhibited or vary when expressed in an older individual. This occurrence can make it especially difficult to diagnose a problem amongst seniors as these varying symptoms may go unnoticed or often times deemed as dementia. It is important to be able to properly recognize and diagnose disorders in the elderly so that they may seek proper treatment for the real issues they are facing. If we fail to recognize these symptoms this could lead to a mis-diagnosis and possibly even further illness or death. Some examples of disorders which can vary in symptoms by age are :

• Depression 

Depression in younger individuals is often associated with sadness, crying, and withdrawnness however older people suffering from depression may not feel sad. Instead look for confusion, forgetfulness, loneliness, and loss of interest in activities.

•  Heart attack

Younger sufferers may experience chest pains whereas, older individuals often do not feel chest pains but instead sweating, tiredness, and confusion.

•  Underactive thyroid gland

The young may experience weigh gain while older people may not notice a significant weight gain but instead feel confused.

• Overactive thyroid gland

Younger people will typically experience agitation and weight loss while older individuals may experiencing sleepiness and depression.

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