Geriatric psychiatry versus general psychiatry inpatient treatment of the elderly.
OBJECTIVE
The authors compared the clinical treatment given older psychiatric inpatients on a geriatric psychiatry unit and a general psychiatry unit.


METHODS
The charts of 50 randomly selected general psychiatry inpatients over the age of 65 years and 50 inpatients from the geriatric psychiatry unit who were matched for age, gender, and primary diagnosis were reviewed.


RESULTS
Significantly greater percentages of older inpatients treated on the geriatric psychiatry unit received complete organic medical workups, structured cognitive assessment, aging-sensitive aftercare referral, and monitoring of psychopharmacological side effects and blood levels than comparable patients on a general psychiatry unit.


CONCLUSIONS
Geriatric psychiatry subspecialty inpatient care appears to be associated with distinct clinically relevant assessment and treatment advantages. Continuing geropsychiatric education of general psychiatrists is indicated.
Yazgan
Izzet Cagri
IC
Department of Psychiatry, Zucker Hillside Hospital, Long Island Jewish Medical Center, North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System, Glen Oaks, NY 11004, USA.
Greenwald
Blaine S
BS
Kremen
Neil J
NJ
Strach
Joan
J
Kramer-Ginsberg
Elisse
E
D000368:Aged; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004565:Electroconvulsive Therapy; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006778:Hospitals, Psychiatric; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation* / Q000628:therapy; D011567:Psychiatric Department, Hospital; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents