Exercise for geriatric psychiatry outpatients: Results from a clinic intervention.

BACKGROUND: Exercise is a non-pharmacological intervention that may benefit elderly patients with depression, but the effects of an exercise intervention in geriatric psychiatry outpatients have yet to be tested. METHOD: Outpatients in a geriatric psychiatry clinic participated in a structured exercise intervention of 50 minutes, twice-weekly, over twelve weeks. Depressive symptoms were assessed at baseline and post-intervention using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). RESULTS: Nine participants had baseline and post-intervention PHQ-9 scores. Mean scores were 5.9 and 2.8 at baseline and post-intervention, respectively (p = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: Exercise intervention for geriatric psychiatry outpatients may improve depressive symptoms. Evidence from controlled interventions is warranted.

Can Geriatric Psychiatry Patients Complete Symptoms Self-Reports Using Tablets? A Randomized Study.

BACKGROUND: With our aging population and limited number of geriatric psychiatrists, innovations must be made in order to meet the growing demands for geriatric psychiatry services. Emerging technologies could greatly improve access to care and systematic data collection. METHODS: This randomized study compared completion rates and time to completion (primary outcomes) when using iPad technology vs. traditional paper forms to complete self-report psychiatric symptoms. Geriatric psychiatry outpatients (n = 72) and adult psychiatry inpatients (n = 50) were recruited to complete the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI-53), the Activities of Daily Living (ADL), and Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) questionnaires. RESULTS: Geriatric psychiatry outpatients completed the iPad and paper questionnaires at similar rates (91.7% vs. 97.2%, Fisher's Exact p = .61). In two-way ANOVA, including patients aged ≥ 60 (n = 85), outpatient status (F(1,81) = 4.48, p = .037) and iPad format (F (1,81) = 8.96, p = .04) were associated with a shorter time to completion. The effect of questionnaire formats was especially prominent in the inpatient group on time to completion. CONCLUSIONS: Older adults with mental illness demonstrate a similar ability to complete self-report questionnaires whether iPads or paper forms. iPad questionnaires may even require less time to complete in geriatric psychiatry inpatients. Patients also found iPad questionnaires to be easy to use and read. Tablets could potentially be used for psychiatric symptom assessment for clinical, research, and population health purposes.