Prevalence of Mental Health Disorders in Nursing Homes

It is estimated that anywhere between 68%-91% of nursing home resident suffer from some kind of mental health disorder.  70%-80% of these residents suffer from dementia and 20% from depression.  78% percent of nursing facility respondents reported serious barriers that disable residents from attaining proper mental health care.  Barriers include but are not limited to: geographic unavailability, stigma(s), refusal by family, lack of mental health programs at institution in question, under-diagnosis and mis-diagnosis.  Rural and small nursing homes suffer greatly as a result of a lack of resources (Bartels, "Mental Health Service Delivery in Nursing Homes").

IMD nursing homes are institutions specifically designed to cater to residents that are mentally ill.  It costs more than $30,000 per year of state general revenue funds to maintain one individual in an IMD home.  A major problem in nursing homes is the misuse, and sometimes abuse, of psychotropic drugs.  In May of 2011, the Inspector General of the US Department of Health and Human Services released a detailed report chronicling this particular issue (law.uchicago.edu).  It seems to me that it would cost the government much less to properly educate nursing home staff and to establish mental health treatment within standard retirement communities, as opposed to creating costly IMDs.  This should be a standard aspect of any elderly community.  Most residents move in after having been separated from their families, their original homes, and potentially dealing with the loss of a loved one.  That is a recipe for depression right off the bat.

Works Cited

Bartels, Steve. "Mental Health Service Delivery in Nursing Homes." pasrrassist.org. Dartmouth Centers for Health and Aging. Web.  7 Mar. 2014.

"Persons with Mental Illnesses in Nursing Homes." law.uchicago.edu. The University of Chicago               Law School. Web. 7 Mar. 2014.