The purpose of this study is to determine whether Family Focused Nursing are effective in the treatment of elderly medical patients with respect to prevalence of depression
Psychosocial issues such as lack of social support and symptoms of depression, are risk factors associated to readmission for elderly medical patients. Families with elderly members in general want to be involved in the caring and want to maintain a close relation to their elderly family member. However, disease in a single family can have a negative effect on all members and may result in dysfunction of the family. International guidelines recommend that the patient's relatives are involved in patient education as well as the treatment. Family interventions might contribute to decline depression and readmissions, besides enhanced quality of life and family function among elderly medical patients and their next of kin.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE
Masking
DOUBLE
All patients receive treatment as usual. Additionally, patients in the intervention arm receives family focused nursing consultations which are structured as sessions focusing on change, improvement and/or maintenance of family function within cognitive, affective and behavioral knowledge. Each session is organized and individualized according to the wishes and needs for education and counseling of the families within a period of one months.
University Hospital Gentofte
Copenhagen, Hellerup, Denmark
Change in depressive symptoms assessed by 9 points measured on the Geriatric Depression Scale
The effect of intervention on primary outcome are investigated as longitudinal data at seven days and six month. The data are analysed using mixed models
Time frame: Baseline, 7 days and 6 months after the intervention
Change in family function score on Brief Family Assessment Measure III
The effect of intervention on secondary outcome are investigated as longitudinal
Time frame: 7 days and 6 months
Change in health related quality of life on Medical Outcomes Study Short Form, SF-8
The effect of intervention on secondary outcome are investigated as longitudinal
Time frame: 7 days and 6 months
Change in time spent between hospitalization
The effect of intervention on secondary outcome are investigated as longitudinal
Time frame: 7 days and 6 months
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