Secondly, there will be rising numbers of people for whom the psychiatric services provided for younger people may not be appropriate. Psychiatric disorders are common among elderly people, but often unrecognised by patients, relatives and doctors, who may wrongly attribute symptoms of treatable mental illness to the irreversible effects of ageing or to physical or environmental changes. The problem is exacerbated because some doctors have a relatively ill-informed perception of mental illness and there is a tendency to refer relatively few mentally ill elderly people for specialised psychiatric treatment. In Australia, a large proportion of residents in hostels and nursing homes suffer from mental disorders, many of which are inadequately treated. Psychiatric assessment prior to admission to nursing homes significantly reduces inappropriate placement.
Effective treatment improves the quality of life of significant numbers of patients.
A number, if treated, could be discharged to less costly and more appropriate community facilities or services. Although general practitioners are the primary providers of health services for elderly people, they appreciate support from specialised area psychiatric services for the elderly. Special expertise is needed in assessing mental disorders in this age group and in understanding the interacting psychological, physiological and social effects of ageing. The presentation is often atypical, and frequently there are coexistent physical conditions which further complicate assessment and management. It is important to be aware of the wide range of strategies available for treatment of mentally ill aged persons and also to be aware of appropriate precautions and differences in the way treatments should be administered compared to younger persons.