International Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
Open Access

Abstract

The Association between Depression and Functional Recovery in Geriatric Rehabilitation

Leslie Sheag Ling Gan

This pilot observation study looked at the prevalence of depressive symptoms within the geriatric population in an acute inpatient rehabilitation unit and examined the relationship between geriatric patients’ psychological state and their functional outcome. Thirty eligible patients were enrolled with the following measures applied: Functional Independence Measure (FIM), Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). Depressive symptoms were present in 43% of the studied group on admission. There were significant improvements in both GDS and motor FIM scores indicating a significant interaction between mood and physical functioning. This suggests that it is necessary to address both physical and psychological functioning in a general rehabilitation programme.