Hope Intervention vs. Friendly Visitors for Reducing Depression in Nursing Homes
Author Information
Author(s): Donna M. Wilson, Alexandra Marin, Param Bhardwaj, Bonnie Lichlyter, Amy Thurston, Deepthi Mohankumar
Primary Institution: University of Alberta
Hypothesis
Does a four-week hope program reduce depression among older nursing home residents more effectively than friendly visits?
Conclusion
The hope intervention was not effective in reducing depression, while friendly visits showed a significant reduction in depression levels.
Supporting Evidence
- The control group showed a nearly significant decrease in depression scores.
- The intervention group experienced a decline in hope scores despite receiving hope interventions.
- Friendly visits were noted to have positive effects on the control group participants.
Takeaway
The study tested if a hope program could help older people in nursing homes feel less sad, but it turned out that just having friendly visitors worked better.
Methodology
A randomized-controlled trial with a hope intervention and a control group receiving friendly visits, measuring outcomes with the Geriatric Depression Scale and Herth Hope Index.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to the small number of participants and the nature of the interventions.
Limitations
Small sample size and lack of generalizability due to being conducted at a single site.
Participant Demographics
Participants were nursing home residents aged 65 and older, with a mix of genders.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p=0.051 for control group depression reduction
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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