The course of elderly depressed out-patients

Fifty-five elderly depressed in-patients were followed up for 24 to 63 months, mean 48 months. Thirty-eight cases remained well more than 60% of the follow-up period and seventeen cases remained more or less chronically ill. These results are comparable with follow-up studies of elderly depressed in-patients. It is suggested that treatment compliance, absence of physical disability, long term follow-up and maintenance anti-depressant therapy in many cases are associated with favorable outcome.