Quality of sleep and geriatric depression of the older adults residing at elderly homes in Batticaloa District

Abstract

Sleep is a natural physiological process that is essential for the physical and mental well-being of older adults. Poor sleep quality and geriatric depression are highly prevalent among older adults in elderly homes and are influenced by a complex interplay of physiological, psychosocial, and environmental factors. There are scant reported studies available regarding the quality of sleep and geriatric depression among older adults in Sri Lanka. The objectives are to describe the quality of sleep and geriatric depression of the older adults residing at elderly homes in the Batticaloa district. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 103 older adults across five elderly homes in Batticaloa District. Data were collected using validated interviewer administered instruments, including the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). SPSS v26 was used for descriptive analysis, Chi-square tests, and Spearman rank correlation. Poor sleep quality was identified in 68.9% of participants, and 80.6% showed depressive symptoms,38.8% with severe depression. Sleep quality was significantly associated with age, BMI (underweight/obesity), Past history of smoking and alcohol use, chronic illness (especially hypertension and arthritis), reduced physical activity, mobility difficulties, and low satisfaction with room and elder home conditions. Depression was associated with religious background, past history of smoking and alcohol use, chronic illness, period of stay in elderly home, low satisfaction with room and elderly home management, discomfort with bedding, Traumatic life events, impaired activity of daily living, and excessive daytime napping. A moderate positive correlation was observed between poor sleep quality and depression (ρ = 0.460, p < 0.01), indicating that poor sleep quality is a significant predictor of depressive symptoms. This study explored the sleep quality and Geriatric depression of older adults and factors associated with it. The majority of the older adults residing at elderly home experience poor Sleep quality and Depression. Therefore, implementing measures to identify the elders with poor sleep quality, Geriatric depression and along with appropriate management strategies, is essential for improving the well-being of the elders.