[The admission and discharge patterns of patients with dementia in psychiatric hospitals].

This paper describes the admission and discharge pattern in a psychiatric hospital for 315 senile and arteriosclerotic demented patients (290.09, 293.09 ICD-8) aged 65 years and over and admitted for the first time. 47% (149) of the patients were admitted from other hospitals and temporary stays in nursing homes. A total of 203 (65%) of the patients experienced one or more changes of residence during the three months prior to admission to the psychiatric hospital. A Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that 25% of the patients were still hospitalized 48 weeks after admission. A total of 62 patients died in the psychiatric hospital, one patient was still hospitalized when the investigation ceased. Of those discharged alive 201, (80%) were discharged to nursing homes 26 (10%) to their own homes and 25 (10%) to hospitals. Of those who had their own home at the time of admission and were discharged alive only 16% were discharged to their own homes, the remainder were discharged to nursing homes and hospitals. On account of the many changes of environment the demented patients experience prior to admission to the psychiatric hospital, they risk developing confusional psychoses which may be disastrous to their physical and mental health.