Hostname: page-component-6766d58669-kl59c Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2026-05-19T09:34:55.070Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Leisure activities and depressive symptoms in older adults with cognitive complaints

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 August 2015

Gina Poelke ,
Maria I. Ventura ,
Amy L. Byers ,
Kristine Yaffe ,
Rebecca Sudore  and
Deborah E. Barnes
Gina Poelke*
Affiliation:
University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco VA Medical Center, CA, USA
Maria I. Ventura
Affiliation:
University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco VA Medical Center, CA, USA
Amy L. Byers
Affiliation:
University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco VA Medical Center, CA, USA
Kristine Yaffe
Affiliation:
University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco VA Medical Center, CA, USA
Rebecca Sudore
Affiliation:
University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco VA Medical Center, CA, USA
Deborah E. Barnes
Affiliation:
University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco VA Medical Center, CA, USA
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: Gina Poelke, PhD, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco VA Medical Center, 870 Market Street, Suite 1123, San Francisco, CA 94102, USA. Phone: +415-952-6505; Fax: +415-750-6669. Email: gpoelke@gmail.com.
Get access

Abstract

Background:

Depressive symptoms are common in older adults and associated with increased risk of cognitive impairment. Leisure activities are often promoted for individuals with mood symptoms but few studies compare the effects of different types of leisure activities on reducing depressive symptoms.

Methods:

Data were analyzed from participants enrolled from 2008–2009 in the Mental Activity and eXercise (MAX) Trial, which examined the effects of physical plus mental activity over 12 weeks in inactive older adults with cognitive complaints. There were no significant differences between intervention groups on the primary outcome of cognitive function or the secondary outcome of depressive symptoms; therefore, all participants were combined for the current analyses in which we examined changes in leisure activity engagement (Community Healthy Activities Model Program for Seniors (CHAMPS)), and changes in depressive symptoms (Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS)) as a function of changes in leisure activity engagement from baseline to post-intervention.

Results:

Participants’ mean age was 73.0 years, 61.6% were female, and 63.6% were non-Hispanic white. There was a significant change in total hours per week engaged in leisure activities from baseline (36.7 hours, SD = 12.7) to post-intervention (40.4 hours, SD = 15.7; paired t-test p = 0.02), and mean change in depressive symptoms was significantly inversely correlated with change in leisure activity hours such that increases in total leisure activity were associated with decreases in depressive symptoms (r = −0.21, p = 0.04).

Conclusions:

Increasing the total amount of leisure activity levels may help lower depressive symptoms in inactive older adults with cognitive complaints.

Keywords

leisure activitiesdepressive symptomsmild cognitive impairmentaging

Information

Type
Research Article
Information
International Psychogeriatrics , Volume 28 , Issue 1 , January 2016 , pp. 63 - 69
Creative Commons
This is a work of the U.S. Government and is not subject to copyright protection in the United States.
Copyright
Copyright © International Psychogeriatric Association 2015

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

Adams, K. B., Roberts, A. R. and Cole, M. B. (2010). Changes in activity and interest in the third and fourth age: associations with health, functioning, and depressive symptoms. Occupational Therapy International, 18, 4–17.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Almeida, O. P. and Almeida, S. A. (1999). Short versions of the geriatric depression scale: a study of their validity for the diagnosis of a major depressive episode according to ICD-10 and DSM-IV. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 14, 858–865.3.0.CO;2-8>CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Arfken, C. L., Lichtenberg, P. A. and Tancer, M. E. (1999). Cognitive impairment and depression predict mortality in medically ill older adults. Journal of Gerontololgy A Biological Science Medical Science, 54, M152–M156.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Babyak, M. et al. (2000). Exercise treatment for major depression: maintenance of therapeutic benefit at 10 months. Psychosomatic Medicine, 62, 633–638.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bains, J., Birks, J. S. and Dening, T. R. (2002). The efficacy of antidepressants in the treatment of depression in dementia. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (Online), 4:CD003944.Google Scholar
Baker, L. D. et al. (2010). Effects of aerobic exercise on mild cognitive impairment: a controlled trial. Archives of Neurology, 67, 71–79.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Barnes, D. E., Alexopoulos, G. S., Lopez, O. L., Williamson, J. D. and Yaffe, K. (2006). Depressive symptoms, vascular disease, and mild cognitive impairment: findings from the cardiovascular health study. Archives of General Psychiatry, 63, 273–279.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Barnes, D. E. et al. (2013). The mental activity and eXercise (MAX) trial: a randomized controlled trial to enhance cognitive function in older adults. JAMA Internal Medicine, 173, 797–804.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Blake, H., Mo, P., Malik, S. and Thomas, S. (2009). How effective are physical activity interventions for alleviating depressive symptoms in older people? A systematic review. Clinical Rehabilitation, 23, 873–887.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Busse, A., Hensel, A., Guhne, U., Angermeyer, M. C. and Riedel-Heller, S. G. (2006). Mild cognitive impairment: long-term course of four clinical subtypes. Neurology, 67, 2176–2185.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cabeza, R., Anderson, N. D., Locantore, J. K. and McIntosh, A. R. (2002). Aging gracefully: compensatory brain activity in high-performing older adults. NeuroImage, 17, 1394–1402.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Christensen, H., Griffiths, K., Mackinnon, A. and Jacomb, P. (1997). A quantitative review of cognitive deficits in depression and Alzheimer-type dementia. Journal of the International Neuropsychology Society, 3, 631–651.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
de Jager, C. A., Budge, M. M. and Clarke, R. (2003). Utility of TICS-M for the assessment of cognitive function in older adults. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 18, 318–324.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Fratiglioni, L., Paillard-Borg, S. and Winblad, B. (2004). An active and socially integrated lifestyle in late life might protect against dementia. Lancet Neurology, 3, 343–353.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Fulbright, S. A. (2010). Rates of depression and participation in senior centre activities in community-dwelling older persons. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, 17, 385–391.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gallo, J. J. and Lebowitz, B. D. (1999). The epidemiology of common late-life mental disorders in the community: themes for the new century. Psychiatric Services, 50, 1158–1166.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hao, Y. (2008). Productive activities and psychological well-being among older adults. The Journals of Gerontology, 63, S64–S72.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lautenschlager, N. T. et al. (2008). Effect of physical activity on cognitive function in older adults at risk for Alzheimer disease: a randomized trial. JAMA, 300, 1027–1037.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lyketsos, C. G., Lopez, O., Jones, B., Fitzpatrick, A. L., Breitner, J. and DeKosky, S. (2002). Prevalence of neuropsychiatric symptoms in dementia and mild cognitive impairment: results from the cardiovascular health study. JAMA, 288, 1475–1483.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
McAuley, E., Blissmer, B., Marquez, D. X., Jerome, G. J., Kramer, A. F. and Katula, J. (2000). Social relations, physical activity, and well-being in older adults. Preventive Medicine, 31, 608–617.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Mottram, P., Wilson, K. and Strobl, J. (2006). Antidepressants for depressed elderly. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (Online), 1:CD003491.Google Scholar
Roberts, R. E., Kaplan, G. A., Shema, S. J. and Strawbridge, W. J. (1997). Prevalence and correlates of depression in an aging cohort: the Alameda county study. The Journals of Gerontology, 52, S252–S258.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rosenberg, D. et al. (2010). Exergames for subsyndromal depression in older adults: a pilot study of a novel intervention. American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 18, 221–226.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Stewart, A. L., Mills, K. M., King, A. C., Haskell, W. L., Gillis, D. and Ritter, P. L. (2001). CHAMPS physical activity questionnaire for older adults: outcomes for interventions. Medicine & Science In Sports & Exercise, 33, 1126–1141.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wilson, K. C., Mottram, P. G. and Vassilas, C. A. (2008). Psychotherapeutic treatments for older depressed people. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (Online), 1:CD004853.Google Scholar
Wilson, R. S. et al. (2002). Depressive symptoms, cognitive decline, and risk of AD in older persons. Neurology, 59, 364–370.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Yaffe, K., Blackwell, T., Gore, R., Sands, L., Reus, V. and Browner, W. S. (1999). Depressive symptoms and cognitive decline in nondemented elderly women: a prospective study. Archives General Psychiatry, 56, 425–430.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Yesavage, J. A. et al. (1982). Development and validation of a geriatric depression screening scale: a preliminary report. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 17, 37–49.CrossRefGoogle Scholar