TRANSITION INTO RECEIVING CARE AND DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS AMONG KOREAN OLDER ADULTS
2024

Impact of Transitioning to Care on Depression in Older Adults

Sample size: 3739 publication Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Yoo Haeun, Kim Kyungmin

Primary Institution: Seoul National University

Hypothesis

How does transitioning into receiving care affect depressive symptoms among older adults, and how does this vary by perceived care resources?

Conclusion

Older adults who start receiving care experience greater increases in depressive symptoms compared to those who continue receiving care, especially if they perceive fewer care resources.

Supporting Evidence

  • Depressive symptoms may peak when individuals start receiving care but can diminish over time.
  • The availability of a larger care resource network may buffer the negative impact of receiving care on depressive symptoms.
  • The negative psychological impact of transitioning into receiving care was significant for participants with fewer perceived care resources.

Takeaway

When older people start getting help, they might feel sadder at first, but having more support can help them feel better.

Methodology

The study used panel data from the Korean Longitudinal Study of Ageing, comparing older adults based on their care status over two waves.

Participant Demographics

Older adults aged 65–105 from Korea.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1093/geroni/igae098.3758

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