[Rejection of Care (Nursing or Medication) in Elder Psychiatric Patients].

OBJECTIVE

Rejecting nursing or medication is an increasing challenge for professional care in elderly people.

METHODS

This explorative study was part of the Gerontopsychiatry study Berlin (Gepsy-B), an investigation of the data of all older inpatients (≥ 65 years) admitted to a psychiatric hospital within 3 years (1266 admissions).

RESULTS

150 cases (11.8 %) rejected care. 94 (7.4 %) refused nursing and 89 (7.0 %) medication intake. 79.3 % of them suffered from organic brain diseases, particularly from delirium superimposed on dementia (ICD-10 F05.1). Nursing was more often rejected by older and more severely cognitive impaired patients, while refusal of medication was associated with delusions.

CONCLUSIONS

Resisting nursing and refusing medication are 2 separate behavioral syndromes that may also occur together.