A. Much attention has been given to the assessment of depression in the elderly. Therefore, regular screening for depression is essential. Many screening tools exist for assessment of depression, but most have not been developed for or validated in geriatric populations. Of these, the GDS appears to be the best-validated instrument. However, it has not been well validated for use with individuals who have dementia.
Cognitive impairment can influence the reliability of results.
A form has been developed for obtaining collateral information concerning individuals with cognitive impairment, but this form has not been specifically validated in dementia. The CSDD was developed for use with dementia but is better validated with mild to moderate symptoms. This scale is interviewer administered and uses information from the patient as well as other informants, such as caregivers. References Duberstein PR, Conwell Y, Seidlitz L, et al. Age and suicidal ideation in older depressed inpatients.