There is no evidence to support the widespread introduction of brief psychotherapeutic approaches for those with Alzheimer's disease. However, the technique was acceptable and helpful individually.

Background: Charles Bonnet Syndrome is defined as visual hallucinations in psychologically normal people and has been associated with low vision for over two hundred years. Objectives: To evaluate the prevalence and complexity of visual hallucinations in patients with low vision. Design: A crosssectional comparative analysis of clinical visual data and hallucinatory phenomena in two groups of patients with age-related macular degeneration and a third control group. Methods: A questionnaire on visual hallucinations was administered to 145 patients and 58 control individuals. Measurements: Visual hallucination type (simple, complex) was examined and group comparisons were made using analysis of variance, cross-tabulations, and percentages. Results: Those individuals reporting visual hallucinations had a significantly lower mean visual acuity than comparative groups. Materialization and frequency of visual hallucinations were dependent on hallucination type. Hallucination type was not dependent on visual acuity. While visual hallucinations were reported by 40% of patients, Charles Bonnet Syndrome as defined in this study, was prevalent in 21% of the low vision cases. Conclusion: Charles Bonnet Syndrome occurs in approximately 1/5 of patients with age-related macular degeneration. Visual hallucinations are dependent on visual acuity rather than on age or ocular condition. Greater awareness of this condition among the medical and allied professions is important so that patients can be advised and reassured accordingly. Consideration should be given to including Charles Bonnet Syndrome as a discrete Syndrome in major classification systems.

The validity of the 28-item version of the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28) was determined by comparison with the Clinical Interview Schedule (CIS) in 56 pain clinic patients. Despite some limitations, the GHQ can be used effectively and cheaply as the first stage of an assessment to identify potential "cases" of mental disorder which must then be verified using a second-stage clinical interview such as the CIS. This process can result in a considerable reduction in the proportion of patients requiring a psychiatric interview and, therefore, in reduced service costs. Factors associated with lower validity coefficients include female sex, age above 60 years and pain with a duration of less than 2 years.

Care Homes are usually seen as the last refuge for older people but residents are sometimes required to move between homes for administrative purposes. There is concern that such moves threaten their well-being and survival. Relocations have been contested repeatedly in court. A recent ruling and its review of case-law and literature provides guidance for practitioners who may be consulted for advice in this demanding situation.

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