Testing therapeutic life review offered by home care workers to decrease depression among home-dwelling older women

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to test a psychosocial intervention, therapeutic life review, offered by home care workers to decrease depression among home-dwelling older women. A quasi-experimental, one-group time-series design measured the effect of a once-a-week, 40-minute therapeutic life review intervention, delivered for six weeks by home care workers, on the depression scores of women 65 years and older, compared to their scores during the ten weeks prior to the intervention. Over time, depression scores improved with a significant decrease in depression immediately following the six-week intervention. Based on these findings, we concluded that home care workers can deliver a community-based psychosocial intervention that decreases depression in their home-dwelling clients.