The TAPS Project. I: Previous Psychiatric Diagnosis and Current Disability of Long-Stay Psychogeriatric Patients

Of all 89 long-stay residents in four psychogeriatric wards at a large London psychiatric hospital, 18 had a previous functional psychiatric diagnosis. Although the total group was markedly impaired overall, male sex, younger age, and a previous functional diagnosis were independently associated with better cognitive performance. Males and those with previous functional disorders also had less behavioural disability. These subgroups within the psychogeriatric in-patient population must be recognised if an in-built distortion in community reprovision of hospital psychogeriatric services is to be avoided.