New study alert: BAN-Dep Trial

Depressive symptoms are common among people living in Residential Aged Care Facilities (RACFs), affecting up to 50% of residents. Despite being common, the presence of depressive symptoms can be difficult for care staff to detect and, when depressive symptoms are identified, treatment often does not incorporate potentially safe and effective non-pharmacological interventions.

There is good evidence that staff training can help staff to recognise depression and improve approaches to management. The BAN-Dep trial will use the beyondblue Professional Education to Aged Care (PEAC) package, which addresses issues related to depression, anxiety and suicide among older adults living in RACFs. BAN-Dep will also test an approach to treating depressive symptoms called Behavioural Activation (BA), which has shown promise in being effective and well accepted. In BA, RACF staff will work together with the resident to identify and treat depressive symptoms through behaviour change and activities.

The BAN-Dep trial is now recruiting RACFs to be a part of the study. If you work in an RACF and you are interested in more information, please contact:

Diana Velasquez Reyes
Phone: 8387 2429
Email: diana.velasquezreyes@unimelb.edu.au

or

Rhoda Lai
Phone: 8387 2202
Email: rhoda.lai@unimelb.edu.au