Psychiatry in the Nursing Home

Covers aspects of the care of mentally ill or mentally retarded patients in nursing homes. Discussed are the development of nursing homes, specific psychiatric entities, common behavioural problems and the medical/psychiatric interface characteristic of nursing homes.

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In one handy book, Psychiatry in the Nursing Home, every conceivable topic relating to the care of mentally ill or mentally retarded patients in nursing homes is covered. Due to the Omnibus Reconciliation Act of 1987 (OBRA), which mandates that all states screen out psychiatric patients needing active treatment who may attempt admittance into nursing homes, many professionals’expertise is relied upon as the screenings have now begun to take effect. As nursing home patients have multiple physical and mental problems and those caring for them come from many different educational backgrounds, it becomes of utmost importance that all nursing home workers and administrators familiarize themselves with the gamut of illnesses and patients requiring treatment. This thorough book fits the needs of professionals working with nursing home clients.The seven major sections of the book provide a structure to examine a number of topics important to both newcomers in nursing home work and experienced professionals in the field. Nursing home development is surveyed, as are the people working in and inhabiting nursing homes; specific psychiatric entities are discussed, as are common behavioral problems prevalent in nursing homes but not corresponding to a specific mental illness; the medical/psychiatric interface characteristic of nursing homes is explored. Helpful tips on how to deal with red-tape forms and policy are provided in a section centered on legal and administrative aspects of nursing homes. A unique view of American nursing homes as contrasted with British nursing homes provides insightful treatment options for aging mental patients as does the view of the future of nursing homes, and the continuing need to make health care for the aged mentally ill as effective as possible. BACKCOVER COPY Here is the first full account of psychiatry in nursing homes. Dr. D. Peter Birkett provides a comprehensive survey of the available literature on the topic, as well as practical advice on the everyday problems that challenge medical staffs, mental health professionals, gerontology students, and administrators of geriatric services.Indispensable for making decisions about which patients can be managed in nursing homes, in justifying psychotropic medications, and in formulating plans of care for behavioral disturbance, Psychiatry in the Nursing Home covers the broad range of topics related to the care of mentally ill and mentally retarded patients in nursing homes. Among the timely and often controversial issues explored in the book are:

the importance of pre-admission screening
the impact of the Omnibus Reconciliation Act of 1987 (OBRA)
the difficult family
the use of physical restraints
violence in the nursing home
legal competence