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Geriatric Depression Scale

September 9, 2016

Choose the best answer for how you have felt over the past week:

Are you basically satisfied with your life?	YES / NO
Have you dropped many of your activities and interests?	YES / NO
Do you feel that your life is empty?	YES / NO
Do you often get bored?	YES / NO
Are you in good spirits most of the time?	YES / NO
Are you afraid that something bad is going to happen to you?	YES / NO
Do you feel happy most of the time?	YES / NO
Do you often feel helpless?	YES / NO
Do you prefer to stay at home, rather than going out and doing new things?	YES / NO
Do you feel you have more problems with memory than most?	YES / NO
Do you think it is wonderful to be alive now?	YES / NO
Do you feel pretty worthless the way you are now?	YES / NO
Do you feel full of energy?	YES / NO
Do you feel that your situation is hopeless?	YES / NO
Do you think that most people are better off than you are?	YES / NO

Answers in bold indicate depression. Score 1 point for each bolded answer.

A score > 5 points is suggestive of depression and warrants a follow-up comprehensive assessment by your primary care provider.

A score > 9 points is almost always indicative of depression.

This scale is in the public domain. Source: http://www.Standford.edu/~yesavage/GDS.html