Older people admitted to Darlinghurst Reception House in the nineteenth century

Aims To describe the clinical features and outcomes of persons aged 60 years and over admitted to Darlinghurst Reception House between 1868 and 1900, and to compare their outcomes and use of alcohol with those under the age of 60. Methods Data were extracted from the medical case books and admission and discharge registers of Darlinghurst Reception House at the New South Wales State Archives. Main findings There were 12,745 admissions of which 911 (7.1%) were aged 60 years and over. The majority had cognitive symptoms (54%), followed by behavioural issues (32.3%) and psychosis (19.6%). Alcohol was implicated in 129 cases (14.2%), less than in admissions aged under 60 (22.5%). Dementia was diagnosed in over 50%. Most ( n = 721, 79.1%) were transferred to a hospital for the insane, 178 (19.5%) were discharged (38.2% alcohol-related) and 12 (1.3%) died. These outcomes were worse than for those aged under 60 in whom 28.8% were discharged (57.9% alcohol-related) and 0.7% died. Conclusions Older people were regularly admitted to Darlinghurst Reception House for mainly cognitive disorders that usually resulted in transfer to a hospital for the insane. Alcohol was less frequently implicated than in younger people.