Self-Rated Health, Cognition, and Dual Sensory Impairment Are Important Predictors of Depression Among Home Care Clients in Ontario

Depression can be a disabling and debilitating condition among older adults (aged 65+). This study examined risk factors for symptoms of depression in a large sample of older home care clients (n = 218,850) in Ontario, Canada, using existing data collected with the Resident Assessment Instrument for Home Care (RAI-HC). The RAI-HC has been mandated across the province since 2002. The most important predictors of depression were lower self-rated health (odds ratio [OR] = 3.4), cognitive impairment (OR = 2.9), dual sensory impairment (OR = 1.2), and a primary language other than English or French (OR = 1.5). This suggests that not only physical health but also sensory impairments and communication difficulties increase the risk for depression among home care recipients.