The impact of daily activities on the mental health of older adults in Mexico

Objective This study analyzed the role that daily activities (goals and plans, healthy routines, social connections, healthy thinking, and meaningful activities) play in relation to two indicators of mental health (depressive symptoms and subjective well-being) among older adults. Methods A non-probability sample of 1,018 residents of Mexico City (23.3% men and 76.7% women) aged 60 to 97 years ( M = 74.97, SD = 7.60) was selected. The Things You Do Questionnaire (TYDQ-21) was used to assess daily activities, along with the adapted version of the Yesavage Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) and the Subjective Well-Being Scale (EBS-8). Results The results showed that 19% of the participants exhibited symptoms of depression. Significant correlations were found among all variables, and multiple regression analyses indicated that most dimensions of daily activities were predictors of depressive symptoms (explaining 13% of the variance) and subjective well-being (explaining 20% of the variance). Conclusion The findings of this study suggest that the daily activities assessed in this research could be taken into account when developing interventions that promote mental health in older adults. The results of this study provide empirical evidence that may be useful for developing mental health promotion programs for older adults based on everyday activities that do not necessarily require the involvement of specialists.