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Psychiatric And Mental Health Services Operational Policy
• People who develop the irst episode of a functional
mental illness in later life. The most prevalent disorders are depression, paranoid psychoses and anxiety states.
• People who have had mental illness for many years and
develop dificult behavior or cognitive problems.
6.6.4 Components of Geriatric Psychiatry
The Geriatric Psychiatry service need to exist with the other health and allied services in view of the complex needs of the older person.
6.6.4.1 The linkages include:
a Primary Health Care Services. b Geriatric Health Care services.
c Adult Mental Health Services. d Extended Care centre, nursing homes and hospice
care services. e Private care services include Private hospital and
General Practitioner. f
Community Care
Services and
Voluntary Organization.
g Social Welfare Organization. The concept of services for geriatric psychiatry as such the patients,
together with family and carers are surrounded by care services. These services are lexible, overlapping and integrated to provide a uniied
system for continuing care and best possible quality of life. The structural obstacles are minimized, enabling the smooth movement of the patient
from one service to another as changing circumstances require.
6.6.5 Primary Health Care service
The Primary Health Care service is one of the initial entry points to Mental Health service. Older person who are found to have mental health
problems may be managed at this level. If ever they have other complex problems, they should be referred to a specialist psychiatric clinic. The
Primary Health Care service should have the following activities:
• Prevention o Identify risks factor that contribute to psychiatric disorders in
the elderly eg. Reduced risk of cerebrovascular accidents
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Psychiatric And Mental Health Services Operational Policy
that lead to vascular dementia. • Early identiication of mental health and psychiatric disorders
o Screening for psychiatric disorders and memory cognitive impairment.
o Referred older person to specialist psychiatric clinic who have cognitive impairment with behavioral problems.
• Assessment o Comprehensive medical and social assessment.
o For diagnosis. • Managing mental health problems in older person
o Comphrensive that include review diagnosis and individual’s physical, psychological, social, spiritual and
material needs. o Carer network.
o Monitor progress through follow-up. o Elderly need specialist care should be referred to
psychiatrist.
6.6.6 Outpatient Services
Psychiatric Outpatient services should be available at all categories of hospital. The non specialist hospital will have visiting psychiatrist and where
as specialist hospital and psychiatric hospital will have their own resident psychiatrist or Geriatric Psychiatrist. Older person who have complex
mental health problems were referred to Psychiatric outpatient services from Primary Health Care, other medical discipline or NGO Welfare.
6.6.6.1 Location
• Non specialist hospital
• Specialist hospital
• Psychiatric hospital
The outpatient services at all categories of hospital and provide the following:
a Promotion. b Assessment.
o Memory Clinic refer to CPG Management of Dementia 2
nd
Edition mood disorder clinic. c Diagnosis.
d Treatment.
