Survey of long-stay psychogeriatric bed use: Implications for future provisions

✍ Scribed by Denise Cope

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1991
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 259 KB
• Volume: 6
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0885-6230
• DOI: 10.1002/gps.930060712

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

Three hundred and twenty patients occupying long‐stay psychogeriatric beds were identified as compared to the Royal College of Psychiatrists' proposed number for this population of 470. Of these 7.1% were aged under 65 years, 11.3% had a diagnosis of functional illness and 75% were over 75 years. Existing guidelines for bed provision for the elderly mentally ill do not account for these numbers of under 65, functionally ill or the rapidly expanding number of over 75 year olds. Fixed guidelines for bed provision are inappropriate for this population; at present they are too high, but with the uncertainty surrounding the funding of community care they may well prove to be too low here as in other areas.