Mental health and the elderly

Lesley Ann Waldron
Lesley Ann Waldron

A significantly small number of elderly people are being admitted to the Acute Psychiatric Unit (APU) of the Princess Margaret Hospital, according to Social Worker, Lesley Ann Waldron.

In her presentation at the opening ceremony of a training workshop for caregivers Waldron said “in 2012-2013 we combined all our admissions and we saw that only 26 people or 4% of our admissions were within the age 60 so we are seeing those of us under 60 are the ones utilizing the unit.”

Waldron added that 62% of elderly patients were female while only 38% were male.  She said that it has been proven that females suffer from more mood disorders than males. These disorders include depression and most of the females admitted to the mental health institution are as result of such disorders.

“In 2012 where we had 11 females we had only 3 males and so far for 2013, we have had more males than females but the difference is not as significant as we saw in 2012. We have had 7 males and 5 females.”

According to Waldron, more males suffer from psychotic disorders while there are more females with mood disorders.

“6 females were admitted for mood disorders whereas we had only one male for the past two years. Also one female for substance abuse and no males and one female for dementia.”

She also said that the Psychiatric Unit tries to avoid admitting patients who suffer from dementia since they have already lost some of their cognition, get confused and are unsure of where they are. Thus, they may become harmful to themselves and others.

“When we have people coming in with dementia we try to give them different techniques and strategies to keep them at home instead of admitting them at the psychiatric unit.”

This workshop is being held as part of activities for World Health Day.

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5 Comments

  1. pool lacour
    October 14, 2013

    nice space teeth indeed!

  2. Sakwe friend
    October 13, 2013

    You must be a sakwe friend to know your friend have mental health issues and in the hospital refusing pork and you not doing anything about it. That friend better of without you. Hold your digital concern we.

    • concern
      October 15, 2013

      you may be ignorant or stupid. hope you are never in this situation or your children; the year is 2013 no one should have to wait for a family member to bring food everyday from marigot to Roseau. Patients have rights.

  3. concern
    October 11, 2013

    Had a friend at the psych unit who was vegetarian, the hospital refused to give her any other food so she had to go hungry while under care. As a social worker can you tell us why this should happen? If I do not eat pork why put it on my plate how can I get better if i am being starved?

  4. Ms Kubuli
    October 11, 2013

    Good job Leslianne and Shasta :-D

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