A peer counselling program for the elderly with depression living in the community.

This study examines the effectiveness of a peer counselling program in Hong Kong for the elderly with depression living in the community, and its impact on the peer counsellors. Thirty depressed elderly subjects participated in the program, which was found to have improved their perceived health status and level of depression. As a result of their participation, subjects have also received more social support and adopted more positive coping strategies. As far as peer counsellors were concerned, they benefited in terms of personal growth through helping others, and helped to open a gateway to their own successful aging. Similar programs applied to wider populations and program evaluations utilizing both process and outcome measures are the key recommendations of this study.