A Depression Care Model in the Elderly with Dependency

Abstract

This study aimed to develop a care model for depression in dependent elderly individuals. This research and development (R&D) study was conducted in three phases, involving a sample group of nine elderly caregivers. The research tools included a depression care program based on Watson’s Theory of Human Caring and a questionnaire with a reliability of 0.90. Data were analyzed using the Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test from January to December 2023. The findings revealed that the care model for depression in dependent elderly individuals consisted of five key components: situational analysis, network development and information source support, caregiver self-development, emotional stability enhancement, and humanized care. The implementation of this model showed statistically significant improvements (p<0.05) in caregivers’ emotional stability, perceived humanized care behaviors, and behavioral promotion. Caregivers reported high satisfaction with the model (µ =4.18, σ =0.17), indicating its potential for broader application.