A psychogeriatric assessment program. V. Three-year follow-up

In 1974, a 10-month diagnostic evaluation of 80 newly admitted psychogeriatric patients was undertaken. The diagnostic categories were functional versus organic brain disease. The present report deals with results of a follow-up evaluation three years later. To assess the prognostic validity of our measures, the initial 1974 data on survivor and nonsurvivor groups were studied, and some of the tests were repeated in 35 of the 40 survivors. Statistically significant differences between survivors and nonsurvivors were found in both "organic" and "functional" groups, with respect to performance on psychologic and psychophysiologic tests, and the level of social functioning before admission. The death rate was significantly higher in the group with organic disease.