Depression in elderly and risk factors related to daily activities

Aim: The aim of this study is to determine the frequency of depression and daily living activities in the elderly and to determine the associated risk factors. Materials and Methods: This is a descriptive-cross-sectional study conducted between May 2016 and August 2016. The population of the study is over 65 years old who applied to Darende state hospital in Malatya city center. The population of the study is the ones over 65 years old who applied to the Darende state hospital in Malatya. 125 elderly people who applied to the hospital were included in the study. In data collection, personal information form, Geriatric Depression Scale and Barthel index were used. The data obtained from the study were evaluated by percentage distribution, chi-square test, student-t test and mann whitney u test. Results: Of the elderly, 65.6% were in the 65-74 age range, 53.6% were male and 52% were alone. Depression is present in 57.1% of elderly people who are highly dependent on depression while 20% of those with mild dependence have depression. 75% of fully independent individuals have no depression. There was a statistically significant difference between dependence states and depression (p = 0.003). When the loneliness level and dependence states are compared; While 15.4% of those living alone were highly dependent, 6.7% of the individuals who were not alone were highly dependent (p = 0.005). Conclusion: It was found that there was a positive relationship between depression and dependence in the elderly and that the depression status increased as the dependency increased in the elderly. It is recommended to raise awareness of loneliness by those in their environment in order to increase the quality of life and to reduce the risk of depression while maintaining the daily lives of elderly people. Social organizations that prevent elderly people from being alone should be made and services such as home health services should be planned. It can be suggested that municipalities organize elderly friendly organizations and give importance to social activities which bring the elderly together. Keywords: Elderly, Depression, Dependence, Daily Life Activity