According to recent research published in the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 'The Geriatric Psychiatry Outreach (GO) Program began in 2005 and provides in-home psychiatric evaluation and treatment for older adults who have difficulty getting to an office-based setting. An initial assessment was conducted on the first 100 patients seen by the program and follow-up treatment was provided as clinically indicated.'
'The mean age of patients seen was 79.7 (SD: 8.2), 74% were women, and the most common psychiatric diagnoses were depression (50%) and dementia (45%), with a mean of 1.4 (SD: 0.6) psychiatric diagnoses per patient. The patients had a mean of 4.8 (SD: 2.9) medical diagnoses and were on a mean of 6.8 (SD: 4.0) prescription and 2.2 (SD: 1.2) nonprescription medications. received a mean of 4.2 (SD: 4.2) in-person visits and a mean of 30.2 (SD: 36.5) additional contacts related to their care, such as phone calls, e-mails, and faxes. Providing psychiatric services at home for older adults with mental illness is a much needed but rarely available service,' wrote D. Johnston and colleagues, Wake Forest University, Medical Department.
The researchers concluded: 'Such patients typically have a complex combination of medical and psychiatric diagnoses and benefit from contacts in addition to the face-to-face visits. (Am J Geriatr Psychiatry 2010; 18:1141-1145).'
Johnston and colleagues published their study in American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry (A New Home-Based Mental Health Program for Older Adults: Description of the First 100 Cases. American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 2010;18(12):1141-1145).
For additional information, contact B. Reifler, Wake Forest University, Bowman Gray School Medical, Dept. of Psychiatry & Behavioral Medical, 1 Med Center Blvd., Winston Salem, NC 27157, USA.
The publisher's contact information for the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry is: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 530 Walnut St., Philadelphia, PA 19106-3621, USA.
Keywords: City:Winston-Salem, State:NC, Country:United States, Mental Health, Psychiatric, Psychiatry
This article was prepared by Psychology & Psychiatry Journal editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2011, Psychology & Psychiatry Journal via NewsRx.com.
