THE GERIATRIC DEPRESSION SCALE (GDS) IN GERIATRIC REHABILITATION

Background: The geriatric depression scale (GDS) is a widely used test the mood of patients in German geriatric clinics. Aim: It should be investigated whether a depressive mood on admission was associated with a reduced amelioration in independence in the course of geriatric rehabilitation. Methods: In a retrospective study 1453 patients in the years 2006–2009 in the center for medicine in old age were investigated. Beside the GDS several assessment tests were included like the Functional Independence Measure (FIM), and the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE). Results: 1315 (90.5%) of the patients showed a GDS-Score of 5 points or lower and were, according to the test, not depressive. Only 138 (9.5%) had 6 points or more and had to be classified at least as slightly depressive. The mean age of those with a GDS of 0–5 points was 81.7 ± 7.4 but 79.0 ± 8,3 years for those with 6–15 points (p<0.001). There was no difference with the MMSE (24.6 ± 4.8 versus 25.0 ± 4.6 points, n.s.). The FIM on admission was 86.9 ± 21.5 for those not classified as depressive versus 82.8 ± 21.3 points for those with a GDS over 5 points (p<0.05). The FIM on discharge was 101.9 ± 20.0 versus 96.4 ± 20.5 points (p<0.05). The improvement in the independence in the FIM therefore not different in the two patient groups (15.0 ± 12.7 vs. 13.6 ± 12.8 points, n.s.). Conclusion: Over 90% of the geriatric patients admitted to a clinic for geriatric rehabilitation were not in a depressive mood. A depressive mood was associated with a younger age as well as with a slightly lower FIM on admission and on discharge, but there was no significant difference for the improvement of the FIM. A depressive mood should therefore not be an obstacle for the admission to geriatric rehabilitation.