Day-clinic treatment of late-life depression

Background. There are few studies evaluating treatment in gerontopsychiatri c day-clinics. Tn this paper, data are presented on the outcome of day-clin ic treatment in late-life depression. Method. Forty-four depressed elderly patients (mean Hamilton Depression Sco re: 17.6) were examined at admission and discharge for psychopathology, fun ctioning in daily living, social situation, burden with medical disease and quality of life. Results. At discharge, the patients showed a significant reduction in depre ssive symptoms, improvements in cognitive performance, social activities an d contacts. However, a more detailed analysis revealed that only patients r esponding to treatment (n=20) improved in the respective parameters. Patien ts, who did not recover fully from depression (n=24), did not improve in an y of these parameters. At admission, responders and nonresponders did not d iffer concerning quality of life. At discharge, responders were significant ly more satisfied in 11 of 20 domains of life quality. A shorter life time duration of depressive disease and male sex were predictive for a remission of depression. Thus, it could be shown that a considerable number of patie nts suffering from late-life depression may be successfully treated in a ge rontopsychiatric day-clinic and 45.5% fully recover from depression. Conclusions. The day-clinic setting meets the specific needs of patients su ffering from late-life depression by maintaining them in the community, sup porting their abilities for sell-care and promoting social contacts. Treatm ent in a day-clinic may be recommended for many elderly depressed patients. Copyright (C) 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.