My father has become very depressed lately, has no more joy in life. It's hard on my mom, what can I do?

first, is your dad receiving therapy or treatment? do you know what is spiraling his depression? depression is the hardest on the person suffering from it. /why is he depressed?

He is just starting. Therapy involves him having to use the internet to view some self help vids but he absolutely hates technology and is impossible to teach new things to. I already made it clear that I can see that something's wrong and I'm there for him. He says he doesn't need anybody, only himself.

with that kind of attitude, he won't help himself or allow anyone else to help him. I learned from sitting in on rehab therapy for drug users that you cannot "save" the user, they have to want to save themselves. sometimes they will, and sometimes they will relapse, sometimes they may seek out that drug at all costs to their own health or security. they may even go to jail or prison, lose brain cells, suffer other tragedies, and still they won't learn. In order for your dad's therapy to work, he MUST be an active participant, and you MUST not enable him by catering to this attitude he's having. You offer to help, then you back off and he either helps himself or he doesn't. I know it sounds heartless, but it's really not.

Has something happened to suddenly bring this on? A trauma in the family which has gotten to him or maybe he feels stressed out and overwhelmed about finances,etc...maybe a vacation would help. A few days away,change of scenery where he could relax and do something he enjoys and hasn't done in a long time.