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