GERIATRIC PSYCHIATRY DAY HOSPITAL-SERVICE - 5-YEAR REVIEW

Psychiatric day hospitals for the elderly are regarded either as an alternative to in-patient care or as a long-term supportive facility for patients with chronic psychiatric disabilities. A 5 yr review of such a unit showed that the unit''s main function had become that of providing an immediate short-term supportive facility to demented patients, mainly in the 75 yr and over age group, and to their relatives, until such time as beds in the long-stay psychogeriatric wards of the hospital became available. The implications of this change in role of day hospitals were discussed in the light of present facilities and the predicted increase in the size of this section of the population.