A study from Tabriz, Iran, has shown that weekly video calls with family significantly improve mental health in older adults living in nursing homes. Over a two-month period, researchers found that residents participating in scheduled video communications reported notably fewer depressive symptoms and a stronger sense of social support. The findings were published in BMC Geriatrics and underscore the potential of digital connections as a valuable tool against late-life depression.
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Led by Hamed Nouri from Gonabad University of Medical Sciences, the research targeted a common issue in elder care: the emotional toll associated with moving to nursing homes. Many older adults experience separation from their families due to reasons such as physical frailty or cognitive decline, which can lead to increased feelings of loneliness and hopelessness, ultimately resulting in depressive symptoms that often go unnoticed within institutional settings.
To evaluate the impact of video calls, researchers conducted a quasi-experimental study across nursing homes in Tabriz in 2022. They enrolled 61 older adults, dividing them into two groups. One group received weekly video calls from family members, while the control group had only standard in-person visits. This design allowed the researchers to focus on the benefits of the video calls while controlling for the general care environment.
Depression levels were measured using the Geriatric Depression Scale, designed specifically for older populations, while perceived social support was assessed with the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. Both evaluations were administered at the beginning and the end of the two-month period, with results analyzed using SPSS software, where statistical significance was set at a p value below 0.05.
Results showed a significant difference in the mean depression scores: those in the video call group exhibited lower scores compared to the control group, with an effect size of 0.87 and a p value of 0.001, indicating a substantial impact. Participants engaging in weekly video interactions reported fewer depressive symptoms than those who did not.
Additionally, perceived social support increased in the video call group, with an effect size of 0.67 and a p value of 0.01. This suggests that regular contact via video calls enhanced residents' feelings of social connection, which is linked to better mental health outcomes.
The intervention's simplicity and low cost make it appealing for nursing homes, as it builds upon existing visitation practices without needing complex technological setups. The authors argue that integrating video calls could enhance residents' short-term well-being.
Despite its strengths, the study is not without limitations. Being a quasi-experimental design, it lacked registration in a clinical trials registry, and the sample size of 61 participants was relatively small. Additionally, the findings are specific to a cultural context in Iran, indicating that similar studies in different environments would be necessary to verify the results.
Ethics approval was obtained from Gonabad University of Medical Sciences, and all participants provided informed consent. The importance of addressing depression among elderly individuals is critical, as it relates to overall health outcomes, institutionalization rates, and healthcare costs. This study suggests that video calls can serve as a highly accessible method for maintaining family connections, potentially becoming a standard practice in elder care as families become geographically dispersed.