Referrals to a psychiatric service from old people's homes

One hundred consecutive referrals have been surveyed, the diagnostic and behavioural problems leading to referral considered and follow-up information obtained one year later. For most admission to hospital as in- or day-patients was unnecessary. Old people's homes do not make excessive demands on the psychiatric services, but deserve support, including help in developing a more tolerant and flexible approach to less confirming residents. This is becoming imperative now that old people's homes are dealing with increased numbers of disturbed residents.