Elderly in Nursing Homes More Depressed
Posted on: Friday, 9 May 2008, 21:00 CDT
Elderly in long-term care are more likely than those in home-care settings to be prescribed anti-depressants and to self-report depression, a U.S. study said.
A study by social work students at Indiana State University of 272 elders -- with an average age of 81 -- examined how often the patients reported feeling depressed and were prescribed anti-depressants at both a long-term care facility and through a home-care agency in west-central Indiana.
At the long-term care facility, 30 percent of the elders in the study reported feeling depressed, compared with 11 percent who received care in their homes through medical and social services.
The long-term care facility prescribed anti-depressants to 62 percent of the elders in the study at some point after they were admitted, while anti-depressants were prescribed for 25 percent of elders in home care.
Undergraduate students Jodi Shapuras and Lindsay Egan conducted the research at their internships as part of a senior-level field practicum class.
We actually hypothesized that the long-term care patients would utilize anti-depressants more and would self-report depression more, Egan said in a statement.
When an individual moves to a long-term care facility, they undergo a tremendous amount of changes. They are no longer able to live independently and are relying on others for care, and this greatly affects how they feel about themselves and the world around them.
Source: United Press International
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