Consultation-liaison psychiatry services to nursing homes.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the present paper is to review current opinion relating to the provision of mental health consultation to nursing homes, and to provide recommendations for future research.


METHODS
The current literature pertaining to consultation-liaison psychiatry within nursing homes was reviewed.


RESULTS
There is a paucity of well-designed empirical studies of mental health service provision to Australian nursing homes. This is of particular concern given the ageing Australian population and the prevalence of psychiatric symptoms in nursing home residents. Psychiatric consultation and liaison to nursing homes may result in reduced need for crisis intervention, improved use of behavioural management strategies for the symptoms associated with dementia, and reduced nursing home staff stress and burnout.


CONCLUSIONS
Further research is required to evaluate the costs and benefits of providing regular mental health services to nursing homes in Australia, particularly in rural areas. Future service development should be complemented by methodologically sound evaluation.
Craig
Elizabeth
E
Centre for Rural Mental Health, Bendigo Health Care Group, Bendigo, Vic., Australia.
Pham
Hieu
H
D000368:Aged; D001315:Australia; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006302:Health Services Research; D006299:Health Services for the Aged / Q000600:supply & distribution; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D009735:Nursing Homes / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011570:Psychiatry / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019035:Rural Health Services / Q000600:supply & distribution; D014600:Utilization Review