Psychiatric Consultation in a Community Agency Serving the Elderly
Sanford I. Finkel M.D.1
1 Health Services to the Elderly, Region 2, Illinois Department of Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities, Chicago, Illinois
Although elderly people have a higher incidence of mental disorders than other age groups, few programs have been developed to meet their mental health needs. The author describes the work of, and his role as consultant to, the Council for Jewish Elderly in Chicago, which provides comprehensive services and care for the elderly focused on prevention of psychiatric illness. As consultant to the program, the author made clinical evaluations of selected clients, worked with individual physicians and agencies to coordinate psychiatric services, conducted educational activities for agency staff, provided consultation to the agency administration, and participated in the evaluation of services.
