The Geriatric Rehabilitation Center: A Study of a Pioneer Psychiatric Treatment Program for Mentally Ill Aged at Kings County Hospital, Brooklyn, New York: 1955 to 1957
Abstract
Two years ago the writer began a period of employment at the Psychiatric Division of Kings County Hospital., He was assigned to the ”Semi-Disturbed” ward where female patients were hospitalized while undergoing psychiatric observation. During this time the writer became aware of the large numbers of aged women, sixty years or older, who were eventually transferred to State Mental Hospitals. In most cases, they would remain there for the rest of their lives. In discussions with other social workers, it was found that: the same situation, in slightly smaller numbers, also prevailed on the male wards. In interviews with many of these patients it was observed that, although diagnosed as ”Chronic Brain Syndrome associated with Cerebral Arteriosclerosis with Psychotic Reaction”, only a small number were in need of close or long term custodial care in State Mental Hospitals. The majority, were persons who had been brought to the hospital by over solicitous relatives or neighbors, who feared for the patient's well-being. Many had some emotional disturbance which, at the time, necessitated at least temporary custodial care. This care was not available however, either because the patient was unable to afford it, or because of the scarcity or overcrowded conditions existing in suitable community facilities. The prospect of allowing these patients to remain on the wards would have caused overcrowding in the hospital as the length of time necessary for a more recommendable referral to reach it's fruition would have been prohibitive. The patients were therefore committed to a State Mental Hospital because of the absence of any other plan.
Subject Area
Mental health|Health care management|Social work
Recommended Citation
Fortune, John Finbarr, "The Geriatric Rehabilitation Center: A Study of a Pioneer Psychiatric Treatment Program for Mentally Ill Aged at Kings County Hospital, Brooklyn, New York: 1955 to 1957" (1958). ETD Collection for Fordham University. AAI30557604.
https://research.library.fordham.edu/dissertations/AAI30557604
