DEPRESSION AMONG SINGAPOREAN CHINESE ELDERLY : CONTRIBUTING FACTORS AND CAREGIVING ISSUES

Abstract

This research explores two areas of concern pertaining to depression among Chinese elderly in Singapore, namely the contributory factors and caregiving issues. Singapore will experience a dramatic growth in her aged population within the next thirty years. The increasing number of people living beyond the age of 60 years will have important implications for our society. One such implication is the probable rise in depression among the elderly. Existing local literature on elderly depression has focused mainly on studying its prevalence with little research being carried out on its risk factors. Similarly, there is a dearth in research conducted on caregivers of depressed elderly. This study hopes to increase the knowledge base of these two areas. Findings indicate that contributory factors for elderly depression include physical illness, loss of employment, loss of physical appearance, loneliness arising from social isolation and lack of emotional support from children, death of adult children and stressful living conditions. Often, it is the complex interaction of various risk factors that contribute to depression in the elderly person. Caregiver burden and coping strategies were the two main aspects of caregiving that were examined in this research. Caregivers were found to experience great strain particularly if home care was provided for the depressed elderly person. In addition, caregivers whose elderly relatives were institutionalized encountered difficulties with the mental health system. Analysis of coping strategies of caregivers revealed a lack of emotional coping strategies. To conclude, it is important to understand both the risk factors of elderly depression as well as its caregiving issues as this will facilitate the development of relevant services and social policies in our country.