Professional Care for the Elderly Mentally Ill

The aim of this book is to consider the need for adopting new models of working with the elderly mentally ill. There is a need to get away from the stereotypical attitude to older people. As a first step towards new models of caring, there is a need to recognize that clients have a right to be involved in decisions about their own care. Of particular importance is the client's right to information. New ways of working require new approaches to planning and assessment. Taking a client-based approach to care planning opens the way to a more radical view on appropriate therapies, illustrated by group work on grief, stress and anxiety, and the role of the day hospital with a particular focus on the role of dance and movement. New models of working require a broader perception of involvement. The corporate strategies necessary to put these models into practice and the way forward in the light of the need for accountability and standards required under the new health service are illustrated. This book should be of interest to student nurses on the mental health branch of P2000, psychiatric nurses, students of occupational therapy, social work, physiotherapy, and other health professionals working with the elderly.