title: A single-ward approach to the elderly mentally ill.
abstract: A service for the elderly mentally ill is described which is based in a general hospital complex and combines a heavy community commitment with the use of two all-purpose inpatient wards and two associated day hospitals. Each ward functions as an admission, treatment, rehabilitation, and medium- and long-stay facility. Experience suggests that this system makes it possible to cater for the elderly mentally ill in a population with many fewer beds than the recommended norm and is a better insurance against unnecessary prolonged hospitalization than "progressive patient care".
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003631:Day Care, Medical / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004739:England; D006801:Humans; D008134:Long-Term Care; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D011567:Psychiatric Department, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration*