The Investigation of Pastoral Care Interventions as a Treatment for Depression Among Continuing Care Retirement Community Residents

Abstract

This prospective study provided support for the efficacy of pastoral care with older adults both as a treatment for depression and as a prophylactic to deter the potential negative impact of change and life circumstances. Subjects included forty persons taking anti-depressant medication, forty persons at risk for depression, and forty people recruited by convenience. Treatment subjects were visited by a chaplain for a 30-minute period weekly for six months. Control subjects received only minimal pastoral care. Treatment group post-test scores for depression decreased, while follow-up treatment group scores for depression increased after cessation of the intervention. Prayer, counseling for issues raised, grief work, active listening, life review, and the provision of blessings were significantly associated with a reduction in depression scores.

Testing the Efficacy of Chaplaincy Care

“…The findings of the Iler et al (2001) study are difficult to interpret given there was no standardized intervention, and it is not clear what would have been unique to chaplaincy care. The findings of the Baker (2000) study must be qualified by the fact that there were no significant differences between groups at three months followup, and, in fact, the pastoral visiting group had the highest mean levels of depression at followup compared to the control group. These studies are a promising beginning in documenting chaplaincy care and its impact on health outcomes, yet much research remains to be conducted.…”

“…In a retirement community, ordained ministers, some with chaplaincy training, delivered a pastoral intervention treating depression and the negative impacts of changes in life circumstances (Baker, 2000). The elderly participants were divided into three groups; individuals taking antidepressant medication, individuals at-risk for depression and individuals selected after a weekly religious service.…”

Starost i starenje u zrcalu duhovnosti

“…Novija istraživanja ukazuju da je duhovnost četvrta, zanemarena, dimenzija čovjeka koja obuhvaća cijelog čovjeka i njegovo iskustvo te daje smisao njegovom životu (Agostino, 1987;Ayele i sur. 1999;Baker, 2000;Bickerstaff i sur. 2003;Bondevik, Skogstad, 2000;Eisenhandler, 2005).…”

A Perspective on the Development of Knowledge of Spirituality and Aging in Nursing and Pastoral Care: An Australian Context

“…Often these have looked at specific behaviours such as spiritual coping (Narayanasamy 2004), some have studied spiritual health of older rural women or the effects of particular interventions of care. Other studies have considered the effectiveness of pastoral care with specific conditions, such as depression (Baker 2000).…”