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A survey was conducted to determine the community resources used by the urban elderly when long-term care in a mental hospital was deemed inappropriate by a Geriatric Evaluation Team. The follow-up study of 112 elderly subjects showed that there are alternatives to institutionalization for the majority of elderly persons referred to a geriatric evaluation and screening service. The natural support system (family members) proved to be of significant value, and more than half of the subjects had daily contact with some other person. Available community services, however, were used infrequently.
Hughes et al. (Tue,) studied this question.