The elderly mentally handicapped in hospital: a clinical study

In a study of 99 long-stay hospital residents aged 65 years and over, two thirds were functioning in the moderately to mildly handicapped range, two thirds were under the age of 75 years and there was an overall female to male ratio of 2:1. As in the general population, mobility problems, a tendency to falls and fractures, cardiorespiratory disease, deteriorating eyesight, and hearing and urinary incontinence were commonly found; all increased in frequency with age. A fifth exhibited psychiatric disorder: the commonest conditions, as expected, were the psychoses and dementia. It is suggested that retirement provision for the elderly mentally handicapped should be made within the mental handicap services and that the small group with significant geriatric problems would be most appropriately cared for within the generic geriatric services. A plea is made for evaluative studies before large scale implementation of resettlement programmes for the elderly mentally handicapped in hospital.