Centre for Policy on Ageing



Closure of an asylum — the Friern study of older people
Author(s)	Sukhwinder Shergill, Bernice Stone, Gill Livingston
Journal title	International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, vol 12, no 1, January 1997
Pages	pp 119-123
Keywords	Psychiatric units ; Closure ; Long term patients ; Dementia ; House removal ; Nursing homes ; Social surveys ; Barnet.
Annotation	This article reports a naturalistic study following the closure of Friern Hospital, and the movement of elderly long-stay patients, who in the main suffered from severe dementia, to psychiatric nursing homes and hospital beds. It describes changes in environments and in the patients' cognition, behaviour and use of medical services. Results suggest that psychiatric nursing homes seem to be able to care for the majority of patients with severe dementia. Future studies should consider whether long-stay hospital beds, may, however, be necessary for those with both psychiatric and physical health needs, where increased contact with health service personnel is essential. Prospective examination of the reasons for breakdown of placements in nursing homes and the differences between those placed in various settings may help future planning of services. Relatives' opinions of the long-stay settings also require study.
Accession Number	CPA-970807214 A
Classmark	LDL: 5YW: LF7:4Q: EA: TNH: LHB: 3F: 82L4
Data © Centre for Policy on Ageing

...from the Ageinfo database published by Centre for Policy on Ageing.