Comparision of how old age psychiatry and general adult psychiatry services meet the needs of elderly people with functional mental illness: cross-sectional survey.

Background: There is little research evidence as to whether general adult psychiatry or old age psychiatry should look after old people with enduring mental illness.

Aims: To compare the extent to which general adult and old age psychiatric services meet the needs of older people with enduring mental illness.

Method: A total of 74 elderly patients with functional psychiatric disorders were identified by reviewing the notes of patients over the age of 60 living in a defined inner urban catchment area. Data were collected on the morbidity and needs of the sample. Needs were assessed using the Elderly Psychiatric Needs Schedule (EPNS).

Results: The participants in contact with old age psychiatry had significantly fewer unmet needs compared with those in contact with general adult psychiatry (2.8 v. 5.6, t = 2.2, P<0.03). Total needs were not significantly different between those managed by old age and general adult services (8.0 v. 6.5 respectively, t = 1.2, P = 0.2).

Conclusions: This study found that old age psychiatry services were better placed to meet the needs of elderly people with mental illness. This finding supports the need for a separate old age psychiatry service.