Psychogeriatrics in England in the 1950s: greater knowledge with little impact on provision of services

Abstract

In the 1950s, the population aged over 65 years continued to increase, and older people occupied mental hospital beds disproportionately. A few psychiatrists and geriatricians demonstrated what could be done to improve the wellbeing of mentally unwell older people, who were usually labelled as having irreversible 'senile dementia'. Martin Roth demonstrated that 'senile dementia' comprised five different disorders, some of which were reversible. These findings challenged established teaching and were doubted by colleagues. Despite diagnostic improvements and therapeutic successes, clinical practice changed little. Official reports highlighted the needs, but government commitment to increase and improve services did not materialize.

The Uses and Misuses of Television in Long-Stay Psychiatric and "Mental Handicap" Wards, 1950s-1980s

“…Doctors, nurses, and other clinicians might have been trained in psychiatry -not everyone was -but much of their work related to the physical care of patients. Older people were believed to be suffering from irreversible conditions such as "senile dementia" that could not be treated (Hilton 2016). It was assumed that little could be done for those with severe and/or multiple learning disabilities, although people with milder disabilities might expect to leave the institution once a suitable home for them in the community had been found.…”