The needs and mental health of older people in 24-hour care residential placements

At present one in five men and one in three women who reach the age of 65 in the UK today can expect to require 24-hour residential care. They are assessed according to needs as to the type of placement that is required. Little is known about the changing needs and symptoms of residential clients over 65 with mental health problems. The needs and neuropsychiatric symptoms of older people living in residential, nursing and hospital settings were assessed by standardized questionnaire. Seventy-seven residents were interviewed using the Camberwell Assessment of Needs for the Elderly (CANE) and the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI). The mean CANE for all settings was high. The highest mean CANE was for a residential home and the lowest for a hospital setting. Similar settings had varying NPI and CANE. The data suggests that once placed, subjects needs and neuropsychiatric symptoms do not remain static. It may make both clinical and fiscal sense to reassess subjects. The development of more residential settings, which allow flexibility of degree of care, is recommended.