Depression among senior Citizens

Ageing is a universal phenomenon inevitable in the life cycle, it brings changes in every citizens thoughts, actions, physical and psychological process. Some experience satisfaction and happiness when looking back their completed fruitful years and some experience depression, despair and boredom of their lost years. Depression is the common problem faced by elderly who should get attention, care and concern of healthcare professionals to prevent various mental health issues.

The objectives of the study are to assess the depression of senior citizens and to find the association between depression and selected demographic variables.

The research approach used for the current study was quantitative approach and study design was non-experimental descriptive survey design. The study participants were 70 senior citizens in the age group of 60 years and above selected through convenience sampling technique from a selected old age home at Kannur. The data collection instruments were a socio demographic proforma and a Geriatric Depression Scale, the reliability established through test retest method and Chronbach Alpha. The value was 0.81. The collected data were analyzed, organized and ad using descriptive and inferential statistics.

The present study reveals that 51.42% of senior citizens having mild depression and 14.28% having severe depression. There is no significant association between Depression and selected socio-demographic variables

This study highlights that there is an urgent need to establish co-ordinated health care services to assess depressive features of senior citizens and execute necessary interventions after proper planning.