An administrator's perspective on mental health in assisted living

Administrators of 94 assisted living facilities in Michigan completed a 19-item survey about the extent of mental health problems of residents and how such problems were addressed. In 45 facilities more than half of the residents were reported to be cognitively impaired. The two most common problems were dementia and depression. The most common problematic behaviors were resistance to care and wandering. Two-thirds of the facilities conducted some type of mental health evaluation at admission, and two-thirds conducted evaluations as needed. The most common treatment barriers were patient refusal and family refusal. Results of the study suggest that there may be a significant need for mental health services in assisted living facilities.