| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ALL ISSUES | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
|
|
|
|||||||
|
|||||||||
Regular Article |
Received October 23, 2002; revised December 23, 2002; accepted February 6, 2003. From University of North Carolina Hospitals, Chapel Hill, NC (LCW), University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC (JMG,PDS,SZ), and University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD (ALG-B). Send correspondence to Lea C. Watson, M.D., M.P.H., Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholar, Department of Psychiatry, CB #7105, 5034 Old Clinic Building, UNC Hospitals, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7105. e-mail: lea_watson{at}med.unc.edu
©2003 American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry
Objective: Assisted living is a rapidly-growing sector of long-term care, but little research has been done on depression in this setting. Using data from a large sample of assisted-living residents, the authors sought to 1) describe the prevalence of depression and depressive symptoms; 2) identify resident characteristics associated with depression; and 3) examine the relationship between depression and the rate of nursing home placement and mortality. Methods: A group of 2,078 residents age 65 and older were enrolled from 193 assisted-living facilities across four states (Florida, Maryland, New Jersey, and North Carolina). Residents were classified as depressed if their score on the Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia (CSDD) exceeded 7. Results: Using this criterion, 13% were depressed, and only 18% of those were on antidepressants. Over one-third of residents had symptoms of depression, such as anxious expression, rumination, or worrying, and 25% displayed sad voice, sad expression, or tearfulness. Depression was significantly associated with medical comorbidity, social withdrawal, psychosis, agitation, and length of residence in the facility. Depressed residents were discharged to nursing homes at 1.5 times the rate of nondepressed residents. Rates of mortality were also higher for depressed residents, but only those with severe depression (CSDD >12) had a statistically significant increased rate of death. Conclusion: The mission of assisted living is to help older adults retain autonomy, privacy, and quality of life in a personalized environment. Greater effort should be made to detect and treat depression in this setting, both to reduce suffering and prolong the resident's ability to remain in their preferred environment.
Key Words: Long-Term Care • Depression
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  S. Wyrick, D. Parker, D. Grabowski, H. M. Feuling, and A. V. Ng Relationships Among Walking Aids, Physical Activity, Depression, Fatigue, and Perceived Health in Assisted-Living Residents: A Pilot Study Journal of Applied Gerontology, August 1, 2008; 27(4): 511 - 522. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 J. Hyde, R. Perez, and B. Forester Dementia and Assisted Living Gerontologist, December 1, 2007; 47(suppl_1): 51 - 67. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 C. K. Chen, S. Zimmerman, P. D. Sloane, and A. L. Barrick Assisted Living Policies Promoting Autonomy and Their Relationship to Resident Depressive Symptoms Am J Geriatr Psychiatry, February 1, 2007; 15(2): 122 - 129. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
L. C. Watson, S. Lehmann, L. Mayer, Q. Samus, A. Baker, J. Brandt, C. Steele, P. Rabins, A. Rosenblatt, and C. Lyketsos Depression in Assisted Living Is Common and Related to Physical Burden Am J Geriatr Psychiatry, October 1, 2006; 14(10): 876 - 883. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
D. Dobbs, J. Hayes, R. Chapin, and P. Oslund The Relationship Between Psychiatric Disorders and the Ability to Age in Place in Assisted Living Am J Geriatr Psychiatry, July 1, 2006; 14(7): 613 - 620. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
L. Teri, P. Huda, L. Gibbons, H. Young, and J. van Leynseele STAR: A Dementia-Specific Training Program for Staff in Assisted Living Residences: Nancy Morrow-Howell, MSW, PhD, Editor Gerontologist, October 1, 2005; 45(5): 686 - 693. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
P. Edelman, B. R. Fulton, D. Kuhn, and C.-H. Chang A Comparison of Three Methods of Measuring Dementia-Specific Quality of Life: Perspectives of Residents, Staff, and Observers Gerontologist, October 1, 2005; 45(suppl_1): 27 - 36. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
A. L. Gruber-Baldini, S. Zimmerman, M. Boustani, L. C. Watson, C. S. Williams, and P. S. Reed Characteristics Associated With Depression in Long-Term Care Residents With Dementia Gerontologist, October 1, 2005; 45(suppl_1): 50 - 55. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 D. Kuhn, P. Edelman, and B. R. Fulton Daytime sleep and the threat to well-being of persons with dementia Dementia, June 1, 2005; 4(2): 233 - 247. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 J. Arehart-Treichel Many Assisted-Living Residents Not Getting Depression Help Psychiatr News, November 21, 2003; 38(22): 27 - 27. [Full Text]
|
|
|
|
|
|
S. Bartels and J. Unutzer Special Issue on Mental Health Services Research Am J Geriatr Psychiatry, October 1, 2003; 11(5): 483 - 485. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ALL ISSUES | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
