title: A survey of patients in a regional geriatric psychiatry inpatient unit.
abstract: The functioning is described of a regional geriatric psychiatry unit with inpatient beds supplemented by an active community team. Data were collected on 100 consecutive patients admitted between November 1985 and July 1986. Eighty-seven per cent of patients were discharged during the course of the study, the majority (66%) to their own homes or to special accommodation houses, 9% to nursing homes, 7% to general hospitals for treatment and 5% to other psychiatric hospitals for social reasons. The patients were characterized by multiple psychiatric and physical disorders, 26% receiving multiple major psychiatric diagnoses. Fifty-two per cent suffered from significant previously recognized physical disorders and 47% had significant physical illnesses diagnosed for the first time during their admission. At the conclusion of the study 7% remained in long-term wards.
authors.affiliation: Larundel Hospital, Bundoora Vic.
authors.forename: A W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Harrison
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Kernutt
authors.forename: M V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Piperoglou
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001315:Australia; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003156:Community Mental Health Services / Q000639:trends*; D003191:Comprehensive Health Care / Q000639:trends*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003704:Dementia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000639:trends*; D011567:Psychiatric Department, Hospital; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000639:trends*