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Mood and behaviour problems following the relocation of elderly patients with mental illness
K Anthony1, A W Procter, A M Silverman
1Community Team for Mental Health in the Elderly, Hither Green Hospital, London.
Abstract:
A prospective case-controlled study was carried out to evaluate the effect of an enforced move of elderly dementia sufferers from a large psychiatric hospital to smaller units in two general district hospitals. Changes in behaviour and nursing dependency, and mortality rate were used as outcome variables. The main finding was that a large proportion of the sample showed significant depressive behaviour following transfer. A significant degree of disturbed behaviour and disorientation remained 3 months after the move. There was some increase in the mortality rate of the group transferred relative to a comparison group but this did not reach statistical significance.