[Depression screening and possible applications of advance care planning].

Depression screening was conducted to determine the health status of community-dwelling elderly individuals, and the concept of advance care planning was introduced. While depression screening among the elderly often uses the Geriatric Depression Scale, a single question regarding depressive mood also provides a valid measure of depression in elderly persons. Depression is associated with lower activities of daily living, competence, and subjective quality of life among the elderly living in Vietnam and Indonesia, as well as in Japan. Advance care planning is a process of discussion between individuals and their care providers to make decisions about future care preferences and priorities, while they are still capable. If they wish, they may prepare an advance directive to inform others about their decisions and best interests, such as a written advance decision to refuse treatment and/or appointment of a person with lasting powers of attorney. The purpose of advance care planning is to enable elderly persons to receive better end-of-life care. To promote introduction of advance care planning in Japan, voluntary discussion among family members should be encouraged.