Premium
The elderly mentally handicapped in the community and a psychiatric service
Author(s) -
BALLINGER BRIAN R.
Publication year - 1979
Publication title -
journal of the institute of mental subnormality (apex)
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.633
H-Index - 39
eISSN - 1468-3156
pISSN - 0141-2205
DOI - 10.1111/j.1468-3156.1979.tb00436.x
Subject(s) - mental handicap , referral , psychiatry , mental illness , service (business) , medicine , community service , mentally ill , population , psychology , mental health , family medicine , environmental health , political science , economics , public relations , economy
The contacts of a Mental Handicap and a General Psychiatric Service with elderly mentally handicapped patients were surveyed over a six year period for a district with a population of approximately 200,000. Only 10 individuals were referred, seven to the mental illness service. Behaviour disturbance or psychiatric symptomatology was usually present, but self‐care was relatively good. Another eight elderly patients were discharged from the mental handicap hospital to residential homes for the elderly; this was usually successful. The reasons for the low referral rate are discussed.