Life Review: Preventing Despair in Newly Relocated Nursing Home Residents, Short- and Long-Term Effects

Relocation to a nursing home places frail elders at risk for developing depression & suicide ideation. This study followed 256 newly relocated nursing home residents for 5 years. Participants were divided into 4 groups, 2 controls & 2 experimental. Participants in the control groups received a friendly visit & those in the experimental group received the intervention of life review. Immediate short-term results showed the life review to be an effective preventive intervention for clinical depression. When looking at long-term effects at 1 year, there were significant decreases in depression, hopelessness, & psychological well-being with measurable increases in life satisfaction. Life review prevents despair in frail elderly newly admitted to a nursing home. (60 refs)