you know someone is suffering from depression, just kiss them, hug them and tell them that no matter how bad they feel about themselves, that you love them ... and then offer to go with them to the doctor.
I agreee with this advice. When someone is depressed enough to comtemplate suicide they need assurance and professional help. Depression is more than "the blues." It's a serious medical condition. The elders are not qualified to deal with this type of situations. As an RN, when people come to me with physical problems, I always tell them to go see a doctor, they are the ones that have the knowledge to deal with these problems. I also agree that the borg causes alot of depression. How well I remember feeling hopeless when I was in.