Best Practice Statement: Working with Older People Towards Prevention and Early Detection of Depression
Funded by: Queen’s Nursing Institute, Scotland
In response to health policies aimed at improving the mental health of older people the prevention and early detection of depression was selected as a topic for the project's second best practice statement. We decided to focus on prevention and early detection of depression, rather than on the treatment for depression. This is because the treatment of clinical depression often requires the specialist assessment and therapeutic skills of mental health nurses. We wanted to demonstrate that general nurses have a key role in responding to the risk factors for depression and that they can use a simple screening tool to detect early stage. The focus for this best practice statement is the care of older people who are moving to continuing care facilities such as community hospitals or care homes (nursing), older people awaiting hospital discharge, experiencing delayed discharge, or a comparable period of instability in their lives.
Click the BPS cover below to download the Best Practice Statement. 
© NHS Quality Improvement Scotland 2004 |
Demonstration sites:
Eastwood Court Care Centre, Ashbourne Homes, Glasgow
Project Leaders:
Irene Schofield
Professor Debbie Tolson
Expert Advisor:
Valerie Provan, Community Mental Health Nurse