Outcomes of admission to a psychogeriatric service.
There is an increasing demand in Canada for improved care of elderly patients with psychiatric disorders. We report one year's experience, with a one year follow-up, of 130 consecutive admissions to the psychogeriatric service at Alberta Hospital, Edmonton. Approximately one-half of the patients came from the community and one-half from long term care institutions; 3 % were admitted via an acute care hospital. The median age was 76 years (range from 43 to 92). Aggression (45%) and wandering (29%) were the most common problems. Dementia was diagnosed in 58% and depression in 19% of patients; 17% had medical problems which precipitated or exacerbated the presenting symptoms. The median length of stay was 92 days (range from one to 365 days); patients admitted from long term care facilities were hospitalized for a longer period of time than those admitted from the community. The mortality rate was 16% in the hospital and five percent at one year follow-up. Approximately one-half of the patients were discharged back to their original residence. These results suggest that even very severely disturbed behaviour can be managed successfully and that a close link between medical diagnostic and treatment services is important. Innovations between these services and long term care facilities may reduce the need for prolonged hospitalization.
Rockwood
K
K
Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton.
Stolee
P
P
Brahim
A
A
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D003693:Delirium / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D003704:Dementia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D008134:Long-Term Care / Q000639:trends; D008297:Male; D019965:Neurocognitive Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012919:Social Behavior; D012931:Social Environment