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Centre for Policy on Ageing | |
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Floods in 2007 and older adult services
— lessons learnt | | Author(s) | Joseph Hayes, Julian Mason, Fay Brown |
| Journal title | Psychiatric Bulletin, vol 33, no 9, September 2009 |
| Pages | pp 332-336 |
| Source | http://pb.rcpsych.org |
| Keywords | Floods ; Psychiatric treatment ; Coordination ; Community care ; West Oxfordshire. |
| Annotation | The aim of this study was to review the clinical and managerial impact of flooding on a community mental health team (CMHT) for older adults by prospectively recording all flooding related events met by the CMHT. Of 348 individuals known to the CMHT in West Oxfordshire, 87 lived in flood affected areas. In nine patients, symptoms deteriorated. There were two new referrals as a direct consequence of the flooding. Flood effects can be grouped into: new mental illness, management problems, CMHT workload and secondary benefits. The immediate and delayed problems caused by flooding to older people with mental illness and dementia include unmasking cognitive impairment and provoking exacerbations in depressive and anxiety disorders. Personal evacuation plans should be used when moving individuals with marked cognitive impairment to avoid difficulties with identification. Overcrowding of care homes used to temporarily accommodate additional residents can contribute to behavioural changes and psychological symptoms in those with pre-existing dementia. (KJ/RH). |
| Accession Number | CPA-090917501 A |
| Classmark | RGL: LP: QAJ: PA: 8OA |
Data © Centre for Policy on Ageing |
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| ...from the Ageinfo database published by Centre for Policy on Ageing. |
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