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Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15) Calculator

Score the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale (Yesavage short form) for older adults — yes/no answers, total 0–15, normal to severe depression bands and the usual cut-off of 5.

1. Are you basically satisfied with your life?

2. Have you dropped many of your activities and interests?

3. Do you feel that your life is empty?

4. Do you often get bored?

5. Are you in good spirits most of the time?

6. Are you afraid that something bad is going to happen to you?

7. Do you feel happy most of the time?

8. Do you often feel helpless?

9. Do you prefer to stay at home, rather than going out and doing new things?

10. Do you feel you have more problems with memory than most?

11. Do you think it is wonderful to be alive now?

12. Do you feel pretty worthless the way you are now?

13. Do you feel full of energy?

14. Do you feel that your situation is hopeless?

15. Do you think that most people are better off than you are?

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How it works

GDS-15 = 1 point for each answer in the depressed direction: “No” to items 1, 5, 7, 11 and 13; “Yes” to items 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 12, 14 and 15. Range 0–15: 0–4 normal · 5–8 mild · 9–11 moderate · 12–15 severe depression.

The Geriatric Depression Scale was created by Yesavage and colleagues for older adults, and the 15-item short form (Sheikh and Yesavage, 1986) takes about five minutes. It deliberately avoids physical symptoms such as poor sleep or appetite that are common in older age for other reasons, and uses a simple yes/no format that suits people with mild cognitive impairment. A score above 5 suggests depression and should be followed by a clinical assessment; the scale is in the public domain.

Worked example

An older adult who is satisfied with life but has dropped many activities (1), often gets bored (1), prefers to stay at home (1), feels their memory is worse than most (1) and does not feel full of energy (1), answering the other items in the non-depressed direction, scores 5 / 15 — mild depression, warranting a follow-up assessment.

Sources: Sheikh JI, Yesavage JA. Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS): recent evidence and development of a shorter version. Clin Gerontol 1986 · Geriatric Depression Scale — Stanford University

Frequently asked questions

What score on the GDS-15 indicates depression?

A score of 5 or more suggests depression and warrants a full assessment; 10 or more almost always indicates depression. The commonly used bands are 0–4 normal, 5–8 mild, 9–11 moderate and 12–15 severe.

Can the GDS be used in dementia?

It works in mild to moderate cognitive impairment but becomes unreliable in more advanced dementia, where the Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia is preferred.

Who can give the GDS?

It can be self-completed or read aloud by any health or care worker; interpretation and diagnosis are for a clinician.

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A screening questionnaire, not a diagnosis — only a qualified clinician can diagnose. If you or someone you care for is having thoughts of self-harm, contact emergency services or a crisis line now.