Does hospital admission affect dependency levels of elderly psychiatric patients?

OBJECTIVE

To study effect of hospital admission on dependency levels of psychogeriatric patients.

DESIGN

A cohort was formed comprising consecutive admissions. This was subdivided into organic and functional cases and the dependency levels of the two groups compared on admission and discharge.

SETTING

An acute psychogeriatic ward at a psychiatric hospital near London.

PATIENTS

One hundred consecutive acute elderly psychiatric inpatients.

MEASURES

The Stockton Geriatric Rating Scale was used to assess dependency levels, the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression and the Mini-Mental State Examination for cognitive impairment.

RESULTS

Patients with functional illness showed a significant reduction in dependency levels compared to organic cases during admission.

CONCLUSION

Admission to hospital has a significant effect in reducing dependency levels of elderly patients with functional illness.