Turkish Journal of Geriatrics 2005 , Vol 8, Issue 1
DEMENTIA AND DEPRESSION AMONG NURSING HOME RESIDENTS
E. Melih ŞAHİN, Cahit ÖZER, Figen ÖLÜÇ, Zafer TUNÇ
Trakya Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Aile Hekimliği Anabilim Dalı In this study, dementia and depression among nursing home residents were screened, and relationship between dementia and depression and some related factors were evaluated.

Two research assistants interviewed and applied Mini-Mental Test and Geriatric Depression Scale-Short Form to nursing home residents between October and November 2003 in Edirne.

Mean Mini-Mental Score was 23.46±4.84. 32 residents. scores were less than cut-off point (23). Test scores were significantly declining with age. Mean Geiatric Depression Scale point was 5.57±3.70. 36 residents. scores were equal or more than cut of point (6). No statistical significant differences could be obtained between scores and age, sex, marital status or number of children. There was a negative correlation between mini-mental test scores and depression scale scores.

Depression and dementia were highly prevalent in the study group and it was shown that dementia and depression had a tendency to emerge together. Health care and other supportive care, provided in the institute, should be revised to screen and manage overt and undetermined dementia and depression. Keywords : Dementia, depression, elderly, nursing home