[Clinical assessment in a nursing home]

In addition to the general and the psychiatric hospital, the nursing home may also be an appropriate location for clinical assessment of geriatric clients. A condition, then, is that the nursing home co-operates with the general hospital and primary care provisions. Moreover, involvement of the ambulatory mental health care for the elderly is necessary to guarantee continuity between intra- and extramural care. The results of clinical assessment in 'De Ielânen', a nursing home in Sneek, confirm that assessment in the nursing home is feasible. It was possible to diagnose geriatric clients with diffuse and complicated disorders. Treatment could be based on this diagnosis. Data concerning discharge and follow-up show that clients can often remain at home after discharge from the nursing home, even when (severe) disorders were found. Therefore, it seems justified to extend clinical assessment of geriatric clients to the nursing home.