Never too old to climb

This nurse-administrated program has added another dimension to the hospital environment. It provides a real challenge and opportunity for reaching out in planning and implementing a program for the elderly, long-term psychiatric hospitalized resident. It has been successful because of a sincere and dedicated staff who consistently communicated, verbally and non-verbally, that "we cared"--by listening, keeping open minds, establishing and maintaining an environment conducive to growth, acceptance, encouragement, social contacts, and creating a genuine relationship based on trust. It was through these media that we achieved a milestone with the new program. Demonstration of concern, patience and interest seemed to have been a motivating force which stimulated a desire to achieve optimum growth for a majority of the residents, which has affected every service in this hospital. The freedom to plan and execute, with administrative support, challenged staff, who reached out and grasped the opportunity to turn away from the traditional ways of providing care to new ways of improving and delivering quality care to the elderly, long-term psychiatric residents. This program has been in not, however, been a panacea for all residents. Assuming responsibility, freedom to make decisions and thoughts of leaving the hospital have been somewhat difficult adjustments for a few residents. As of December 1974, approximately 5 per cent of those placed in the community were returned to the structured environment of the hospital. The successes, however, have far outnumbered the adversities in that 34 have been discharged and three are ready to be discharged in the near future.