Wando-gun Operates Depression Screening and Treatment Program

Early Detection and Treatment of Elderly Depression Over 8 Months for More Than 5,000 Participants

Wando County will operate an 8-month depression screening, prevention education, and treatment program for approximately 5,000 elderly people using senior centers, including those living alone. (Photo by Wando County)

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Choi Kyungpil] Wando-gun, Jeollanam-do (Governor Shin Woo-cheol) announced on the 4th that starting next month, it will operate depression tests, prevention education, and treatment programs for about 5,000 elderly people using senior centers, including solitary elderly who need psychological quarantine due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, for eight months.

Currently, the elderly population in Wando-gun is 15,946, accounting for 31.4% of the total population, of which 2,004 (3.9%) live alone.

Recently, with the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic causing senior universities and other facilities to close, the boredom and loneliness of the elderly have become factors that exacerbate depression.

Accordingly, the county plans to promote the elderly depression prevention and management project in stages to detect and manage depression early for the mental health and stable daily life of the elderly.

Since this project starts before the end of COVID-19, it will be implemented after understanding the preventive action guidelines.

Stage 1 (May to June) will conduct depression tests using the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) for about 5,000 elderly people using senior centers, including solitary elderly. Stage 2 (June to August) plans to conduct depression and suicide prevention education by touring 305 locations such as senior centers and senior welfare centers, and 5 senior universities.

Stage 3 (August to December) will operate counseling by psychiatric specialists, linkage to treatment institutions, treatment programs, and case management for severe subjects targeting high-risk suicide groups.

In particular, the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) is a test that can be completed in a short time and has high reliability in the test results.

Kim Seon-jong, director of Wando-gun Health and Medical Center, said, “Many elderly people think, ‘It is natural to become depressed as you age,’ which delays treatment or mistakes depression for dementia, worsening the condition. Since early detection and treatment are important for this disease, I hope people do not hesitate to take the depression test.”

Wando-gun is promoting various mental health promotion projects, including mental health promotion for the elderly, spreading a social atmosphere that respects life, and prevention, early detection, treatment, and rehabilitation services for mental illnesses.

For detailed information related to depression tests, contact the Wando-gun Mental Health Welfare Center for guidance.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.