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Psychopathologic and Functional Outcome in the Treatment of Elderly Inpatients With Depressive Disorders, Dementia, Delirium, and Psychoses

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 January 2005

Jens Kronborg Djernes
Affiliation:
Department of Geriatrics District Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark.
Nils Chr. Gulmann
Affiliation:
Department of Psychogeriatrics, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
Kirsten E. Abelskov
Affiliation:
Department of Psychogeriatrics, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
Søren Juul-Nielsen
Affiliation:
Department of Psychogeriatrics, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
Lisbeth Sørensen
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatric Demography, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark

Abstract

The objectives of this report were to investigate the functional implications and the possible rehabilitation potentials of dementia, delirium, and psychosis in elderly inpatients, compared with that in depression. During 1 year, all patients in a psychogeriatric university clinic were assessed on admission and at discharge with a selection of rating scales and diagnosed according to ICD-10 by consultants with no knowledge of the results of the ratings. All patients who had a principal diagnosis of major depression, dementia, delirium, or a psychosis are discussed. Ratings were made for psychopathology, behavioral disorders, depressive statements, intellectual functioning, activities of daily living, and gait. Depressive and delirious patients improved their status significantly (p ≤ .03) in all six assessments, and patients with dementia improved their psychopathology status (p = .002), but the other assessments were unchanged. Results from the small sample (n = 8) of psychotic patients were mainly inconclusive, but there was a tendency for improvement with respect to psychopathology and gait.

Type
Dementia
Copyright
© 1998 International Psychogeriatric Association

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