A Community‐based Psychogeriatric Service

Abstract

The elderly are most susceptible to mental illness, and they receive inadequate mental health services. The authors developed a community-based program to meet the needs of the psychiatrically impaired elderly by providing a multiplicity of indirect services to community caregivers. A psychiatrist and two clinical specialists in psychiatric nursing provide consultation, education, collaboration, and coordination to individuals and agencies dealing directly with elderly clients in the community. Evaluation of data show a high degree of consultee satisfaction, few recommendations for institutional care, satisfactory client outcomes, and a significant impact achieved by a formal educational program for community practitioners.

Psychiatric disorders among the elderly on non-psychiatric wards in an African setting

“…The exact nature of the relationship between physical illness and psychiatric disorder has not been clearly delineated. General susceptibility to physical illness and mental disorders (Wasylenki et al, 1984) and altered cerebral metabolism occurring during physical illness may predispose to mental disorder. Moreover, drugs used in the treatment of physical disorders may cause mental disorders; and psychological reactions to physical illness have also been discussed as possible causes of mental disorders among the elderly (Uwakwe, 2000).…”

“…Multiple pathology, both physical and mental, appears to be a common pattern of presentation in old age (Uwakwe, 2000), with the elderly being more susceptible to mental illness (Wasylenki et al, 1984). The prevalence of mental illness in the elderly in general hospitals in the developed world is two to three times that of the community-dwelling elderly and is estimated at 40-50% (Lipowski, 1983;Burn et al, 1993).…”

MODELS OF GERIATRICS PRACTICE: A Community Development and Outreach Program in Geriatric Mental Health: Four Years' Experience

“…Four interrelated program components (structures) were developed: (1) the Home Visit Team (HVT); (2) the Specialized Information and Resource Service (SIRS); (3) pilot educational service initiatives; and (4) active involvement in system‐level planning and coordination.…”

“…Geriatric psychiatry outreach and consultation services have been proposed as a public policy response to the challenge of serving the mental health needs of an aging population in the context of scarce specialized resources and expertise 1–3 . Although the number of such programs has been growing, 4–9 there is little agreement about the form these services should take, how they should be implemented, or their objectives 10 . We have argued that future development of such programs should place emphasis on the development of local resources and on responsiveness to the needs and circumstances of the area in which the consultation service is located 10 .…”