Am J Psychiatry 1987; 144:1412-1418
Copyright © 1987 by American Psychiatric Association
Psychiatry and the nursing home
S Borson, B Liptzin, J Nininger and P Rabins
Psychiatry Service, Seattle VA Medical Center, WA 98108.
In the last two decades, nursing homes have become major providers of
health services for the frail elderly. Despite ample evidence of need for
specialized psychiatric services in the nursing home setting, the majority
of patients who could benefit from such care do not receive it. The authors
propose a fourfold role for the psychiatrist, encompassing clinical care,
consultation, teaching, and research. Features of this role can be adapted
to fee-for-service, community mental health center, and academic models of
psychiatric practice.
