**Investigation of Daily Living Abilities in 110 Elderly Schizophrenia Patients and Nursing Strategies: Assessment Topic**
**Results:** In elderly patients, behaviors such as depression, suicidal ideation, anxiety, agitation, falls, potential for constipation, chewing difficulties, swallowing problems, hypochondriasis, and suffering from somatic diseases are higher than in the non-elderly group.
**Conclusion:** The safety issues of elderly patients with depression are the focus of clinical care.
**Keywords:** Elderly; Depressive symptoms; Safety of care
[CLC] R473.74 [-B [Article Number] 0369 (2006) 12-1073-02]
Broad geriatric depression refers to depression that occurs in old age (≥60 years), including primary depression (including cases that began in youth or adulthood and recur in old age) and secondary depression seen in old age. Narrow geriatric depression specifically refers to primary depression that first occurs in individuals ≥60 years old. Depression in the elderly is a common mental disorder, and its safety is the focus of our care. Analyzing the safety issues of elderly depression leads to the following nursing interventions.
**1 Materials and Methods**
**1.1 Object Data:** A total of 79 depressed patients hospitalized in our hospital between February 2002 and May 2004 were included, all meeting the diagnostic criteria of CCMD-3 for depression. The elderly group was defined as ≥60 years of age, while the non-elderly group was younger. There was no significant difference in gender ratio between the two groups (P > 0.05).
**2.2 Security Issues in Both Groups:** See Table 1.
**Table 1:** Main security issues in both groups (%):
| P < 0.01 | P < 0.05 |
From the table, it can be seen that the combination of elderly somatic disorders, suicidal ideation behavior, anxiety, agitation, falls, and potential fall risks, as well as chewing and swallowing difficulties, occurred at a significantly higher rate in the elderly group compared to the non-elderly group.
**3 Geriatric Depression:** Due to age and physical characteristics, the security issues in elderly patients with depression differ from those in non-elderly patients with depression. From the data, it is evident that the elderly group suffers more frequently from physical illnesses, suicidal ideation behavior, anxiety, agitation, falls, potential fall risks, chewing and swallowing difficulties, memory loss, and hypochondriasis compared to the non-elderly group.
Information: The HAMA scores were higher in the elderly group, indicating that symptoms of anxiety, agitation, hypochondria, suicidal ideation, and behavior were more prevalent in the elderly group, consistent with the literature. Elderly depression is significantly associated with cognitive impairment, complaints of physical discomfort, and a strong concept of hypochondriasis. Elderly depression may also involve suicidal tendencies or behaviors, unsteady gait, inability to take care of oneself, risk of choking, mood swings, impulsiveness, and other care-related issues. Therefore, their care should focus on the following:
**3.1 Pay Attention to Physical Information:** 83.54% of elderly patients with depression suffer from physical illnesses, most commonly cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, chronic bronchitis, etc. Additionally, the aging process involves the degradation of physical organs. Patient care should carefully observe the condition, monitoring and recording the patient's ability to chew and swallow, gait, urination, defecation, sensory memory, blood pressure, and heart rate.
Particularly in elderly patients with high blood pressure, the combined use of antihypertensive and antipsychotic drugs makes them more susceptible to dizziness, walking instability, and the possibility of falling. For elderly diabetic patients, due to the characteristics of elderly chewing, digestion, and absorption, the combined use of hypoglycemic drugs and dietary restrictions can easily lead to hypoglycemia, which if not promptly detected, could result in adverse consequences. For patients with cardiopulmonary dysfunction, nighttime patrols should be strengthened. Heart rate should be measured, and close observation of the cardiac toxicity of antidepressant drugs is necessary.
**3.2 Safety Care for Elderly Patients with Depression:** Elderly patients with depression often exhibit hallucinations, delusions, and intense emotions, leading to restlessness, depression, or even self-harm, destruction of property, and self-mutilation. In some severe cases, there may be suicidal tendencies. Psychological counseling for such patients should involve strengthening emotional exchanges, showing care and patience, gradually eliminating their tension, and strictly preventing serious suicidal ideation and behavior. Strictly prohibit solitary activities, especially for elderly patients with memory disorders.