Aging & mental health
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Aging & mental health · Jan 2013
Depressive symptoms as an independent risk factor for mortality in elderly persons: results of a national longitudinal study.
Depressive symptoms have been associated with increased mortality risk in previous cohort studies, but there is a paucity of research on Asian elderly in recent years. The authors investigated the depression-mortality link using data from a representative national cohort. ⋯ Depressive symptoms are an independent risk factor for mortality in the elderly. Elderly depressive men and elderly without chronic diseases seemed to have a greater mortality risk.
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Aging & mental health · Jan 2013
Caregiving spouses' attachment orientations and the physical and psychological health of individuals with Alzheimer's disease.
Attachment theory is a useful framework for understanding how caregiving dyads regulate emotions and maintain feelings of security in reaction to a loved one's chronic illness. In this study we examined the extent to which the attachment orientations (anxiety and avoidance) of persons with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and their spousal caregivers were associated with each partner's report of the physical and psychological health symptoms of the person with AD. ⋯ This study highlights the importance of considering the attachment security of both caregivers and persons with AD when considering how each partner views the psychological and physical health symptoms of the person with AD. Our results have implications for providing care-recipients and caregivers with improved, tailored care.
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Aging & mental health · Jan 2013
Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender older people in Ireland: mental health issues.
International policy initiatives have highlighted the need to include older lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) issues in the provision of appropriate health and social care. However, empirical studies in the area remain sparse. ⋯ The findings revealed that a significant number of the survey respondents had experienced a mental health problem at some point in their lives with interview participants providing further details of their concerns. It is recommended that policy makers address the mental health needs of older LGBT people in future strategic directives and develop standards of care that support the principles of equality, inclusion and respect for diversity.
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Aging & mental health · Jan 2013
Comparative StudyComparison of major depressive disorder and subthreshold depression among older adults in community long-term care.
This study extends existing knowledge regarding the continuum between major depression (MD) and subthreshold depression (SD) by examining differences in symptomology and associative factors for a subpopulation of older adults with functional disability. ⋯ Our findings of symptom profiles and associative factors lend support to the continuum notion of depression. Identification of only older adults within the community long-term care service system who meet criteria for MD would leave many older adults, who also face multiple comorbidities, high levels of stress and social isolation, and substantial depressive symptoms undiagnosed and untreated.
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Aging & mental health · Jan 2013
The relationship of religious involvement indicators and social support to current and past suicidality among depressed older adults.
Elderly people, particularly those with major depression, are at the highest risk for suicide than any other age group. Religious involvement is associated with a range of health outcomes including lower odds of death by suicide. However, not much is known about the effects of religious involvement on suicidal ideation in the elderly or which aspects of religiosity are beneficial. ⋯ Current religious practices were not predictive of retrospective reports of past suicide attempts. Church attendance, rather than other religious involvement indicators, has the strongest relationship to current suicidal ideation. Clinicians should consider public religious activity patterns and perceived social support when assessing for other known risk and protective factors for suicide and in developing treatment plans.