[Everyday activities in depression and dementia in the elderly. Results of the Berlin study on aging]

We investigated time use of persons assigned to seven groups on the basis of psychiatric diagnoses: (a) no dementia or depression symptoms, (b) individuals with dementia symptoms but no DSM-III-R-diagnosis, (c) individuals with dementia according to DSM-III-R, (d) individuals with depression symptoms but no diagnosis, (e) individuals with depression not further specified (NFS), (f) individuals with depression according to DSM-III-R, and (g) individuals with symptoms of both dementia and depression. In general, time-use parameters were similar across the groups. As expected, however, we found differences in specific dimensions. Demented and depressed individuals differed from others with respect to the duration of passive phases and receptive leisure. Instrumental activities, active leisure, length of the waking day, and time spent alone were indicators with differential validity regarding dementia diagnoses--partly even after controlling for physical morbidity. Moreover, we were able to differentiate between dementia and depression on the basis of instrumental activities after controlling for physical morbidity.