[The social situation of patients with late-life depression]

The social situation of patients with late-onset late-life depression admitted to a gerontopsychiatric day-clinic was assessed with respect to activities, social contacts, living conditions and finances. The patients were compared with an age- and sex-matched control group. Relationships of the social situation to life satisfaction and severity of depression were investigated. In the patients, there were significant deficits in activities and contacts, especially with respect to those features which directly depend on the patients' level of activity (e. g. frequency of activities outside the household). Social infrastructure (e. g. frequency of attendance) and living conditions were positively correlated with life satisfaction, but were not significantly impaired in the depressed patients, neither were there differences in the financial situation between patients and controls. Thus, the social situation of elderly depressed patients is mainly characterised by a decreased level of activities, to which special therapeutic attention should be given.