Depression is a common mental disorder that presents with depressed mood, loss of interest, pleasure, feeling of guilt or low self worth, disturbed sleep/appetite, low energy and poor concentration. According to WHO, these problems can become chronic or recurrent and lead to substantial impairment in an individual’s ability to take care of his/her everyday responsibilities. Community based mental health studies have revealed that the point prevalence of depressive disorders amongst the geriatric population in India varies between 13-25%. According to WHO remaining active means maintaining one’s physical , social and mental potential throughout the entire lifecycle, allowing the involvement of elderly in social, economic, cultural, spiritual and civic activities.

1. EFFECT OF ACTIVE AGEING PROGRAM
IN IMPROVING GERIATRIC
DEPRESSION SCORE IN COMMUNITY
DWELLING ELDERLY
Dr Alakananda Banerjee
President
Dharma Foundation of India

2. INTRODUCTION
 The Indian aged population is currently the second largest in the world. The
absolute number of the over 60yrs age group in India will increase from 76 million
in 2001 to 137 million by 2021..
 Depression is a common mental disorder that presents with depressed mood, loss
of interest, pleasure, feeling of guilt or low self worth, disturbed sleep/appetite, low
energy and poor concentration.
 According to WHO, these problems can become chronic or recurrent and lead to
substantial impairment in an individual’s ability to take care of his/her everyday
responsibilities.
 Community based mental health studies have revealed that the point prevalence
of depressive disorders amongst the geriatric population in India varies between
13-25%.
 According to WHO remaining active means maintaining one’s physical , social and
mental potential throughout the entire lifecycle, allowing the involvement of
elderly in social, economic, cultural, spiritual and civic activities.

3. GERIATRIC DEPRESSION
SCORE
 The GDS is a 30-item self report assessment tool used to identify
depression in elderly and is thereby used as a standard outcome
measure in the current study.
 GDS is not a substitute for a diagnostic interview by mental
health professionals.
 It is a useful screening tool in the clinical setting to facilitate
assessment of depression in older adults especially when based
measurements are compared to subsequent scores.
 It does not assess for suicidal tendencies.

4.  Active ageing is the process of optimizing opportunities for
health, participation and security in order to enhance quality
of life as people age.
•Aim of the Study:
To find out the effect of Active Ageing Program in Improving
Geriatric Depression Score in Community Dwelling Elderly
•Significance of the Study:
If this study is found to be effective then Active ageing model can be
promoted in the community which in turn will reduce depression in old
age, making the elderly active, and allowing the involvement of the elderly
in social, economic, cultural, spiritual and civic activities.

5. METHODOLOGY
 Study design: A longitudinal study design
 Sampling method: Convenience sampling
 Sample size: 119 community dwelling elderly
 Place of study: Delhi and NCR
Inclusion criteria:
 Elderly (age 60 years or above) of any socio economic strata willing to
participate in the study
 Ability to read and write either English or Hindi
Exclusion Criteria
 Subject opting out of the study
 Subject totally dependent for his activities of daily living, requiring
institutional support and care
 MMSE score <23
Outcome measures:
 Geriatric Depression Scale (30 item)

6. 14 awareness programs/ workshops
on chronic health and social issues
14 awareness programs/ workshops
on chronic health and social issues
Elderly attending the lectures/
workshops on regular basis were
enrolled with a written and signed
consent form
Elderly attending the lectures/
workshops on regular basis were
enrolled with a written and signed
consent form

7. LS 1
10
….LS 12
119
2020
1 110
LS 2
1111
Local supervisors (LS) selected
from the targeted group of
elderly
GDS was administered to all the
subjects at the time of enrollment and
subsequently after 6 months

8. Textbooks were compiled based on the workshops held in the
community were printed in English and Hindi language
Textbooks were distributed to disseminate the information
Group activity sessions were also held in the community to
promote interaction between the local supervisors and their
respective groups.
Follow up of the health and social issues were also done in
these group activity sessions

9. RESULTS
n=119
Demographic distribution

10. n=119
Demographic distribution

11. Pre Mean: 4.87±6.086
Post Mean: 2.57±4.619
Pre Median : 3 (0-7)MQR
Post Median :0 (0-3)MQR

12. Mean comparison of GDS score in different types of
families

13. Median comparison of GDS score in different types of
families

14. Severity of Depression
Paired t- test showed that the change in GDS score was statistically
highly significant (p=0.000); t value=5.12

15. DISCUSSION
 WHO has promoted a process of optimizing opportunities for
health , participation and security amongst the elderly with an
aim of improving their quality of life.
 According to a study conducted at the department of Medicine
and Prevention, University of Brazil, having higher schooling of
subjects (24.2%) and having an average monthly income greater
than 5 minutes was associated to better performance in the
environment domain of the QOL.
 According to the Xavier et al having good health, good family
relationships, financial security, friends and work ability are
determinants of good and healthy living amongst elderly.
 With the aim of imparting active ageing model within the
community, we ensured that the targeted elderly population
practices self care by taking valuable information though the
workshops and later with the respective textbooks distributed.

16.  Mutual help therefore promises providing necessary information
regarding health, social and economic issues to other elderly
within the community, also having a follow up of the neighbor
elderly in terms of their health and further reporting to the local
supervisor/ leader who is in turn connected to the nodal person in
the healthcare.
 Self promotion finally takes it’s shape where the self care and
mutual help completely established.
 By promoting one’s own health as well as the health and social
status of the co-neighbour/ elderly raises his/ her standards of
better living in the community reducing the urgent/ immediate
panic at the time of emergency and also increases the bonding
which ensures individual’s self promotion.
 In our study we observed a great improvement in the GDS score
within the elderly population. Parents/ elderly staying alone at
home showed a higher score on the GDS as compared to the
elderly living in a joint family.

17.  There is significant improvement in the GDS
values Pre and Post Intervention at the
difference of six months.
Normal
(0-9)
Mild
(10-19)
Severe
(19 above)
Pre 76.5% 18.5% 4.50%
Post 85.7% 9.20% 2.50%

18. CONCLUSION
 Active Ageing Model is a
success to reduce depression
in community dwelling elderly
population
 The present study revealed
that the elderly living in a
nuclear family system are
more likely to be depressed as
compared to those in a joint
family system.