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Mental health in residential homes: a role for care staff

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 May 2001

SALLIE MOXON ,
KENNETH LYNE ,
IAN SINCLAIR ,
PHILIP YOUNG  and
CHRISTINE KIRK
SALLIE MOXON
Affiliation:
Research and Development Unit, York Health Services NHS Trust
KENNETH LYNE
Affiliation:
Research and Development Unit, York Health Services NHS Trust
IAN SINCLAIR
Affiliation:
Social Work Research and Development Unit, The University of York
PHILIP YOUNG
Affiliation:
Department of Health Studies and Clinical Evaluation, The University of York
CHRISTINE KIRK
Affiliation:
Research and Development Unit, York Health Services NHS Trust
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Abstract

Two linked studies assess the feasibility of involving care staff in reducing the prevalence of depression in homes for older people. Mental health training was provided for care staff, delivered by members of a Community Mental Health Team for the Elderly. The research programme used quantitative and qualitative methods to evaluate the effects of a theoretical training for care staff, a system of mentoring care staff to reinforce the training; and a care-planning intervention for the management of depression which combined psychosocial and medical approaches. The training programme was positively evaluated by the recipients, the trainers and the researcher who observed it. The ability of care staff to detect depression improved significantly over time, and depression was reduced to below case-level in seven of the eight depressed residents who participated in the care-planning intervention. This research suggests that psychosocial interventions that involve collaboration between carers and residents, supported by a Community Mental Health Team, may have an important part to play in supplementing medical management of depression in residential care homes.

Keywords

mental healthdepressionolder peopleresidential carecare staff trainingcare-planning interventionUnited Kingdom
Type
Research Article
Information
Ageing & Society , Volume 21 , Issue 1 , January 2001 , pp. 71 - 93
Copyright
© 2001 Cambridge University Press

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