Foster placement for the older psychiatric patient.

The effect of age on foster care outcome was examined for 572 male psychiatric patients referred for foster care from five VA hospitals. Subjects were assigned randomly to preparation (experimentals) or continued inpatient care (controls.) Research staff collected data on social functioning, mood, activity, and adjustment. Only 79 (14%) were 60 years or older. Compared with younger patients, those 60 and over were more likely to be diagnosed as having chronic brain disease and less likely to be diagnosed as have schizophrenia. About 70% of the younger and older experimentals were placed into foster care. Alcoholics and persons with more hospitalizations were significantly less likely to be placed. Patients in foster care changed significantly compared with hospitalized controls by having less social dysfunction and better adjustment. Older subjects improved as a result of being seen in the hospital prior to placement but were not different from younger subjects in how they responded to the foster home. The study suggests that foster care is an appropriate and underutilized resource for elderly psychiatric patients.