A community-based psychogeriatric service.
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.
D000368:Aged; D003156:Community Mental Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing; D005260:Female; D005852:Geriatric Psychiatry / Q000193:education; D006299:Health Services for the Aged / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009864:Ontario; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012944:Social Support