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Graduation Term

2013

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Mennonite College of Nursing

Committee Chair

Mary J. Dyck

Abstract

A videoconferencing intervention was conducted using Skype to reconnect nursing home elders to their family and friends as a means of decreasing depressive symptoms and loneliness. Five Medicare/Medicaid nursing homes in central Illinois participated in the study. The elders completed the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) Loneliness Scale prior to the intervention. Those in the experimental group received the Skype sessions with their family and those in the control group had regular care. The Skype sessions were a total of ten over a fourteen week period and lasted from 10-30 minutes each time. At the completion of the study, both groups were administered the PHQ-9 and UCLA Loneliness scale. The study had significant results with depressive symptoms and loneliness scores being reduced after the intervention in both groups.

Access Type

Dissertation-ISU Access Only

DOI

http://doi.org/10.30707/ETD2013.Schwindenhammer.T

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