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Rates of depression and participation in senior centre activities in community‐dwelling older persons
Author(s) -
FULBRIGHT S. A.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
journal of psychiatric and mental health nursing
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.69
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1365-2850
pISSN - 1351-0126
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2850.2009.01535.x
Subject(s) - depression (economics) , geriatric depression scale , gerontology , medicine , older people , scale (ratio) , social support , psychology , psychiatry , depressive symptoms , geography , anxiety , social psychology , economics , macroeconomics , cartography
Accessible summary• The purpose of this study was to determine the role that senior citizen centres play in decreasing depression in community‐dwelling older persons. • Eighty‐eight per cent of older persons who made friends at the centre on whom they could rely ( n = 217) did not report symptoms of depression while 29.1% of those who did not have friends on whom they could rely ( n = 38) reported symptoms of depression. • These results link close friends and social support with decreased chances of developing depression. • Attendance and involvement in senior centres have an effect on the lives of the community‐dwelling elders.Abstract The purpose of this study was to determine the role that senior citizen centres play in decreasing depression in community‐dwelling older persons. A quantitative cross‐sectional design was utilized. A questionnaire was used to determine demographic and lifestyle data. The dependent variable, depression symptoms, was measured using the 15‐point Geriatric Depression Scale. Eighty‐eight per cent stated that they attend for the friends and social support. Second, the study demonstrated that community‐dwelling older persons can have those needs fulfilled at the senior centres. Ninety‐four per cent of them have made close friends at their centres. Ninety‐four per cent stated that their lives had improved since attending the senior centre. Eighty‐six per cent felt they had made friends on whom they could rely when needed.