Two models of day hospital for elderly mental patients
Trifinov, E.G.
Zhurnal Nevrologii i Psikhiatrii Imeni S.S. Korsakova 98(7): 40-42
1998
ISSN/ISBN: 1997-7298 PMID: 9721377 Document Number: 492288
Two new forms of gerontopsychiatric care were analysed: a gerontopsychiatric day hospital (GDH) attached to an outpatient psychiatric center (1st model) and a gerontopsychiatric half-time day hospital attached to an inpatient mental unit (2nd model). Both day hospitals covered mainly patients with functional mental disorders (75,6 and 88,7%, respectively), organic psychic diseases were rarer (8,6 and 2,3%, respectively). In 1st model of GDH the patients admitted with initial stage of mental disorder or during exacerbations of chronic mental disease. Conditions of such day hospital provide opportunity to accomplish a full examination of patients and intensive psychopharmacological treatment. This permits to avoid psychiatric hospitalization in many cases. Patients of 2nd model of GDN could be admitted from an inpatient mental units if their condition remained unstable after a course of therapy or if they had any difficulties in adapting themselves to home life.