Mood and behaviour problems following the relocation of elderly patients with mental illness.

A prospective case-controlled study was carried out to evaluate the effect of an enforced move of elderly dementia sufferers from a large psychiatric hospital to smaller units in two general district hospitals. Changes in behaviour and nursing dependency, and mortality rate were used as outcome variables. The main finding was that a large proportion of the sample showed significant depressive behaviour following transfer. A significant degree of disturbed behaviour and disorientation remained 3 months after the move. There was some increase in the mortality rate of the group transferred relative to a comparison group but this did not reach statistical significance.