Journal Article

How to Help Depressed Older People Living in Residential Care: A Multifaceted Shared-Care Intervention for Late-Life Depression

Willcock, Simon M., Castell, Sally, Andrews, Carol L., Baikie, Anne, Baikie, Karen A., Pond, C. Dimity, Snowdon, John, Tennant, Chris C., Llewellyn-Jones, Robert H.

2001

Overview

Objective: To describe a population-based, multifaceted shared-care intervention for late-life depression in residential care as a new model of geriatric practice, to outline its development and implementation, and to describe the lessons learned during the implementation process. Setting: A large continuing-care retirement community in Sydney, Australia, providing three levels of care (independent living units, assisted-living complexes, and nursing homes). Participants:) The intervention was implemented for the entire non-nursing home population (residents in independent and assisted living: N = 1,466) of the facility and their health care providers. Of the 1,036 residents who were eligible and agreed to be interviewed, 281 (27.1%) were classified as depressed according to the Geriatric Depression Scale. Intervention Description: The intervention included: (a) multidisciplinary collaboration between primary care physicians, facility health care providers, and the local psychogeriatric service; (b) trainning for primary care physicians and other facility health care providers about detecting and managing depression; and (c) depression-related health education/promotion programs for residents. Conclusions: The intervention was widely accepted by residents and their health care providers, and was sustained and enhanced by the facility after the completion of the study. It is possible to implement and sustain a multifaceted shared-care intervention for late-life depression in a residential care facility where local psychogeriatric services are scarce, staff-to-resident ratios are low, and the needs of depressed to residents are substantial.

• Publisher: Cambridge University Press,Elsevier Inc
• Subject: Aged / Aged, 80 and over / Assisted living facilities / Biological and medical sciences / collaborative care / Combined Modality Therapy / depression / Depressive disorder / Depressive Disorder - diagnosis / Depressive Disorder - psychology / Depressive Disorder - therapy / education, continuing / education, continuing, medical / Educational programs / exercise / Female / frail elderly / Frail Elderly - psychology / geriatric psychiatry / Geriatrics / Health care industry / Health education / Health promotion / Health services / health services for the aged / Homes for the Aged / housing for the elderly / Humans / Independent living / Inservice Training / Interdisciplinary aspects / Intermediate Care Facilities / Intervention / Life / Long term health care / Male / Medical personnel / Medical sciences / Mental depression / Miscellaneous / Needs Assessment / New South Wales / Nursing homes / Older people / Patient Care Team / Patient Education as Topic / Physicians / Primary care / primary health care / Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry / Psychopathology. Psychiatry / psychotherapy / Residential care / Residential institutions / Residents / Retirement / Retirement communities / Social Environment / socioenvironmental therapy / Treatments / voluntary workers