Dementia and depression are very common disorders among older people and their presence, both isolated and specifically combined, results in a decreased quality of life in the well-being of the aged. As the population ages, more patients are being diagnosed with dementia and depression. An abundance of patients in long-term care facilities (LTCFs) exist who have dementia and accompanying depression that largely goes undetected and untreated. After a careful review of the literature and anecdotal evidence gathered by the principal investigator (PI), sufficient evidence existed that linked undetected depression in patients with dementia in LTCFs to lack of knowledge among nurses regarding detection of depression in patients with dementia. Patients with dementia who reside in LTCFs are a vulnerable population. These patients are most often frail and in some instances cannot speak for themselves. Depending on the severity of dementia, they are unable to even recognize depression in themselves and thus unable to communicate to their providers that they have depression. The purpose of this Capstone project was twofold: first, to increase awareness and knowledge level of nurses regarding detection of depression in patients with dementia who reside in the LTCF, and second, to implement the clinical practice guideline (CPG) for detection of depression in older adults with dementia.
