Geriatric Depression Test SGDS-K — Free 15-Item Screen for Older Adults

It is worth a check when an older person loses interest in things they used to enjoy, avoids going out, says their energy has dropped, or often remarks that they feel useless or that life has lost its pleasure. Late-life depression frequently shows up not as sadness but as reduced drive, worries about memory and physical complaints, which makes it easy to mistake for ageing or early dementia.

The SGDS-K is the Korean standardization by Bae and Cho (2004) of the 15-item short form (Sheikh & Yesavage, 1986) of the Geriatric Depression Scale developed by Yesavage and colleagues in 1982. Every item is answered yes or no, which keeps it easy, and it refers to mood over the past week. If the text is hard to read, a family member may read the questions aloud exactly as written, but the answers must come from the person themselves to be accurate.

Out of 0-15, a score of 0-7 indicates no significant depressive symptoms, while 8-15 indicates suspected depression. At 8 or above, consultation and a proper assessment by a specialist such as a psychiatrist are recommended. Late-life depression often overlaps with thyroid disease, anaemia, medication side effects, sleep problems and early cognitive decline, so a clinic will look into these causes together.

Even at 7 or below, if eating or sleeping has changed markedly or the person says they want to die or no longer wish to go on, seek care immediately regardless of the score. It helps greatly if family members note the result and recent changes and accompany them to the appointment. Rechecking every two to four weeks shows how things move after treatment or lifestyle changes, and pairing it with the PHQ-9 or cognitive tasks offers a reference for whether memory worries stem from depression.