Toward an integrated approach to the institutionalized aged: an encounter with the medical model.

The author describes the delivery of medical, psychiatric and social work services to residents of a facility for the aged. Although the Home had already benefited from the introduction of sound medical standards and the influence of an acute medical hospital, a satisfactory staff organization needed to be developed to answer the unique and individual needs of the aged residents. Specifically, the task was aimed at organizing services to implement a small unit concept of individual care for which the new facility was architecturally designed, to bring together those involved in patient care to coordinate services, to help the staff sustain a therapeutic attitude and to carry out specific therapeutic tasks.