[New residents of residential care homes for the elderly. The problems of elders with mental disorders].
The article reports on a study involving participants in six projects set up jointly by mental health care facilities and homes for the elderly. The projects were designed to offer protection and guidance in residential homes to older people whose psychiatric problems have rendered them permanently dependent on professional care. The primary focus of the study was on their problems and care needs. Structured interviews were conducted with 136 residents and with their supporting and treating staff. The older people presented an atypical pattern of symptoms. The supporting staff and the treating staff both cited the unsociable, apathetic behaviour of the residents as the most serious problem, followed by emotional problems. Only 37% of the residents were free of cognitive problems, and only 18% had no physical impairments. Although the projects were specifically designed for older people suffering long-term mental instability, more than a quarter of the residents turned out to have had little or no contact with mental health care services. Many had even been admitted to the projects with no prior psychiatric assessment. The study recommends that the projects mobilise more mental health expertise in carrying out needs assessment. To help alleviate the residents' apathy, in-service training programmers for the care staff should focus not on psychopathology alone, but also on ways to create a more stimulating residential and social atmosphere.
Depla
M F
MF
Afdeling Zorg & Rehabilitatie van het Trimbos-instituut, Utrecht.
Pols
A J
AJ
de Lange
J
J
D000368:Aged / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis; D003156:Community Mental Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006707:Homes for the Aged / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012112:Residential Facilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012920:Social Behavior Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis; D014600:Utilization Review / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
Nieuwe bewoners van het verzorgingshuis. De problemen en zorgbehoeften van ouderen met een psychiatrische achtergrond.