Long-Term Care Survey Alert

When symptoms of depression are present, use this tool to involve all caregivers in supporting residents at risk for depression.

While the nursing department maintains a positive caring attitude toward all residents, residents with depressive symptoms such as low energy, little interest in doing ADLs, feeling sad, down or blue, may require additional motivational tools.

1. Establish Achievable Goals for ADLs

a. Residents with depressive symptoms may not have the energy or interest to do the ADLs for which they are physically capable.

b. Working with residents to set goals that are within reach and are attainable — when accomplished can be self-motivating and enhance self-efficacy.

c. It is better for residents to do some or part of their ADLs than none at all.

d. “Mrs. Smith, I see you are not feeling your best, how about you put one pant leg on and I will help you with the other?”

2. Reinforce Small Successes and Minimize Emphasis on Failures

a. Residents with depressive symptoms can feel like a failure and focus on what is wrong or not going well — an emphasis by staff on what the resident can do and does do can provide needed encouragement.

b. “Mrs. Smith, for someone not feeling her best, you pushed yourself today and did a very nice job with putting your socks on!”

3. Tap into Residents’ Motivation

a. Residents with symptoms of depression may lack the motivation and therefore lack the confidence to do their ADLs or appreciate the importance of doing them.

b. Pointing to resident successes in the recent past may help them to have the confidence to try their ADLs today.

c. Tap into past conversations with the resident. Remind the resident what she has told you in the past about why it was important to maintain as much independence as possible. “Mrs. Smith, you mentioned to me that you like to keep up your skills and abilities so that your grandchildren see you as healthy as possible. How about trying to brush your hair for them today?”

4. Supportive Communication

a. Residents with depressive symptoms often feel unloved or hopeless; a few extra minutes of staff lending a supportive ear goes a long way.

b. “Mrs. Smith, I enjoy seeing your smile every day. You look a little down today. Is there something on your mind that you would like to talk about?”

Source: Developed by the Abramson Center for Jewish Life and the Polisher Research Institute. Used with permission. For more information about PWP, go to https://www.abramsoncenter.org/media/1233/50-page-toolkit.pdf.