GERIATRIC EVALUATION UNIT OF A MEDICAL-SERVICE - ROLE OF A GERO-PSYCHIATRIST

Psychiatric evaluation as a part of the complete geriatric workup was done on 143 consecutive patients transferred to a Medical Geriatric Evaluation Unit. The patients' age ranged from 48 to 94 years. The findings on 136 patients were analyzed. A significant percentage of the patients had psychiatric problems. The findings were: free of psychiatric problems - 19.1%; organic brain syndrome - 58.8%; dysphoria-depression - 36.8%; paranoid - 3.7%; alcohol abuse - 8.1%; marital maladjustment 18.3% (of marrieds). The Geropsychiatrist diagnoses, participates in psychiatric management, consults, and supervises psychiatric evaluation by other team members. He is an essential member of the Geriatric team since proper recognition and treatment of psychiatric problems is necessary to complete treatment and to make optimum disposition.