Primary care management of older people with mental health problems
Louise Robinson, Carolyn Chew‐Graham
Abstract
This chapter discusses the presentation and primary care management of the commonest mental health problems in older people; delirium, delusions, depression and anxiety, and dementia. Primary care is on the front line in dealing with older people who have mental health problems, supporting their families to care for them, and managing people with complex comorbidities in addition to mental health issues. Older people consult their GP almost twice as often as other age groups and up to 40% of older people may have a mental health problem. The chapter presents cases drawn from the authors’ real-life practice, first, to represent clinical presentations and management within primary care; and second, to demonstrate how primary care links with secondary care and the wider services. It discusses the management of patients largely within reference to UK primary care systems and policy, but the international readership should find parallels within their own healthcare systems.