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The Benefits of Psychiatric Hospitalization for Older Nursing Home Residents
Author(s) -
Kunik Mark E.,
Ponce Hernando,
Molinari Victor,
Orengo Claudia,
Emenaha Ify,
Workman Richard
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
journal of the american geriatrics society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.992
H-Index - 232
eISSN - 1532-5415
pISSN - 0002-8614
DOI - 10.1111/j.1532-5415.1996.tb02938.x
Subject(s) - medicine , brief psychiatric rating scale , depression (economics) , dementia , hostility , psychiatry , global assessment of functioning , rating scale , geriatric depression scale , retrospective cohort study , veterans affairs , hamilton rating scale for depression , psychosis , schizophrenia (object oriented programming) , cognition , clinical psychology , major depressive disorder , depressive symptoms , psychology , developmental psychology , disease , economics , macroeconomics
OBJECTIVE To examine the demographic characteristics and treatment outcomes of nursing home residents admitted to a geropsychiatric inpatient unit. DESIGN A retrospective cohort design based on an ongoing data base effort. SETTING The geropsychiatric inpatient unit of the Houston Veterans Affairs Medical Center Hospital. PARTICIPANTS All admissions to the unit from nursing homes during an 18‐month period. MEASUREMENTS Mini‐Mental State Examination, Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale, Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, Cohen‐Mansfield Agitation Inventory, Rating Scale for Side Effects, and Global Assessment of Functioning were administered on admission and discharge. RESULTS Paired t tests comparing change scores revealed significant decreases in general psychiatric symptoms ( P < .001), depression ( P < .001), and agitation ( P < .001); significant improvement in global functioning ( P < .001); with no significant changes in cognitive status ( P = .485) or side effects ( P = .120). When the patients were subgrouped according to reasons for admission, paired t tests revealed decreases in violence (CMAI Factor 1; P = .000), psychosis (BPRS thought disorder scale; P = .000 and hostility subscale; P < .008), and depression (HAM‐D; P = .002). Four patients were discharged to less restrictive environments, all with chronic mental illnesses. CONCLUSION Inpatient psychiatric hospitalization significantly benefits nursing home residents with and without dementia who are admitted for severe behavior problems.