Similarities between aging & depression

I just read this article and it made me think of how there's a parallel between people who are elderly living in nursing homes and being neglected, and depressive people. Both sections of the population need something to live for.
Depressives may need medication... but like elderly people who are put in homes and on meds and have nurses or whatever, depressives need things to look forward to. Like meeting friends ( something difficult when you've estranged them with your depression), or having a project, or being expected somewhere.
It's hard to remember to do these things, though, when you're depressed. Even when you get help, the focus isn't usually on extracurriculars and holistic living. Just like elderly people sent to a home, depressives are given a medical cure and maybe some emotional support. But there's little talk of what to do at home, what to change in your life to give yourself something to live for.
What do you do to keep going outside of therapy? For me, sometimes the only thing to do is commit to a project run by some outside person. Then, because they expect me to show up, I will.

that was one of my "tricks" when I was suicidal for so long. I used to have to trick myself into staying alive. to do this, I would tell myself that it was ok to commit suicide...im DID and I have an alter that wanted to kill me, always plotting my death. to shut her up I would say it was ok, she could do it but we had to wait till x date and usually the depressive episode had passed by then or one of the things I would make sure to do was make commitments to do things for others so when that date came I could say, we cant kill ourself now, we have to put it off until we help so and so with what we promised. it worked every time.