Psychiatric services in nursing homes in Israel: should the American legislation be adopted?
BACKGROUND
Nursing homes provide care for the elderly who require medical, nursing or rehabilitation services. Legislation for the public health model of mental health care for nursing home residents in the USA was enacted in 1987.


OBJECTIVE
To determine whether the USA act regulating psychiatric care for nursing homes may be applied in Israel.


METHODS
Publications analyzing the outcome of the USA regulations demonstrate improved care as reflected by decrease in restraints and better use of psychotropic compounds. The shortcomings as well as benefits of the USA legislation are tested as to their relevance to the specific economic, environmental and medical issues in Israel.


CONCLUSIONS
The adoption of USA legal acts regulating nursing home residents' psychiatric care may not be feasible in Israel. However, quality of care in nursing homes can be significantly improved if such regulations were "tailored" to Israel's unique structure of nursing homes.
Barak
Yoram
Y
Abarbanel Mental Health Center, Bat-Yam, Israel. mdybarak@netvision.net.il
Davidson
Michael
M
Luxenberg
Jay S
JS
Aizenberg
Dov
D
D000368:Aged; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D006299:Health Services for the Aged / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000592:standards*; D017146:Models, Organizational; D009735:Nursing Homes / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000592:standards*; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D014481:United States