Objective: The conceptual work in psychiatry in Basel led in 1987 to the development of a new area of psychiatry, i.e. for the elderly.
Design: Concentration on specialized in-patient wards and out-patient services
Materials and Methods: Evaluation of more than 3,000 consultations of ca. 200 patients per year in the out-patient service.
Results: Our interdisciplinary out-patient team includes a psychiatric, as well as a psychotherapeutic approach, supported in daily activities by the nursing staff, and in social problems by social workers. In the dementia consulting hours we profit from neuropsychological expertise, in support of caregivers we offer psychoeducation in groups. One of the main concerns of the work is represented by the long stay institutions in form of liaison relationship, i.e. direct contacts with the elderly, but also support of the nurses and the relatives, provided good collaboration and demarcation with the general practitioner. This leads to higher acceptance of the home situation for the elderly, lessens the burden of the caregiver by providing detailed information concerning the psychopathology of the individual elderly person. In this work we are supported by a group of free practicing psychiatrists with whom we meet in regular meetings.
Conclusion: In our presentation we will evaluate this form of psychiatric service in the context of psychiatric care for the elderly in Basel, Switzerland.
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