Which disease or ailment is often under diagnosed and undertreated in the aging population?

There are several maladies that are known to be under
diagnosed in the elderly. One of the most commonly missed ailments is depression.
Elderly people often become socially isolated through a variety of mechanisms ranging
from poverty to decreased mobility to widowhood. Depression in the elderly can lead to
cognitive impairment and may be misdiagnosed as early stage Alzheimer's disease. It can
lead to a variety of physical illnesses and can exacerbate others because of loss of
interest in eating, sleep disruption, and lack of exercise, all of which can be caused
by depression. Because the symptoms are so nonspecific, elderly patients and their
caregivers seldom suspect that depression is the problem, attributing their symptoms to
"getting old".

Malnutrition is another problem that is
often missed. Poor dental health, poverty, and lack of regular meals, often due to
social isolation, can all contribute to this issue.

Asthma
is another issue that is often misdiagnosed in the elderly. Again, difficulty breathing
is often misattributed to the aging process itself. Also, asthma may be mistaken for or
masked by cardiovascular problems.