Older home-care patients' preferred approaches to depression care: a pilot study.

Overview

The purpose of this pilot study was to explore the approaches to depression care preferred by older home-care patients and examine characteristics associated with those preferences. Twenty-eight long-term home-care patients, ages 62 to 95, were interviewed. Patients ranked their depression care preferences and provided rationale for their responses. Results indicated prayer was preferred by the highest percentage of patients (50%). Comparing patients with and without depression experience, prayer was preferred by the latter group. The results highlight the importance of addressing patient preferences during care planning to improve participation in geriatric depression care management.