Acute inpatient care in older adults

Provision of specialist mental health services for older adults (previously referred to as ‘psychogeriatrics’) is recommended by the World Health Organization. In the UK, this extends to specialist wards for older inpatients with mental health problems. This chapter explores the rationale and provision of specialist older adult mental health beds in the UK and the different types of service offered. Beyond the macro level, it aims to provide a handbook for anyone wishing to set up such a ward from scratch: it explores what a ward designed with older adults in mind would look like (design) and what resources and staffing are necessary. The needs specific to this demographic of the population are explored, including issues such as physical health, frailty, and the most common mental health conditions one might encounter on such as ward (dementia, late-life depression, and late-life psychosis).