Objective To explore the effects of a nursing intervention program based on the hopelessness and selfesteem theories on depression and selfesteem of older adults in nursing home. Methods Totally 99 older adults from 2 nursing homes in Taiyuan were divided into an intervention group (n=52) and a control group (n=47) according to different nursing homes. The control group received routine nursing such as mental health nursing and health education, while the intervention group additionally received a nursing intervention program based on the hopelessness and selfesteem theories, and the intervention effect was evaluated after 4 months. Results After the intervention, the Geriatric Depression Scale30 (GDS30) score of the two groups were significantly lower than those before the intervention, and the score of the intervention group was significantly lower than that of the control group (P<0.01 for all); and the Rosenberg′s Selfesteem Scale (RSES) score of the intervention group was significantly higher than that before the intervention and the score of the control group(P<0.05, P<0.01). Conclusion The nursing intervention program based on the hopelessness and selfesteem theories can effectively alleviate depressive symptom of older adults in nursing home, and enhance their selfesteem level to some extent.