Reducing Depressive Symptoms in a Long-Term Care Facility: Applying The Mds Assessment

Abstract

Objective: Applying MDS nursing home assessment for screening and outcome evaluation on a Pleasant Mood and Active Life (PMAL) intervention among long-term care facility residents. Method: A mixed methodology by applying secondary data analyses and cluster randomized clinical trial among 62 participants. The development of PMAL was guided by the pleasant event model of depression, together with a culturally embraced activity list generated by collaborative deliberation among residents and caregivers at residential setting. Findings: Secondary data analyses on ten-years of MDS data suggested inclusion criteria, which were 1) triggered mood problem based on clinical assessment; 2) cognitively intact; 3) voluntary participation. As compared to control group participants, experimental group participants showed significant changes on mood problem trigger as measured by MDS. Conclusion: MDS nursing home assessment was useful to screening residents with mood problems and sensitive to standardized intervention.