Psychogeriatry in primary care: reality, needs and deficiencies

Abstract

As a result of the aging of the population, mainly in the rural areas, the general practitioner (GP) practices functions of geriatry daily. The frequent psychic pathology in the old ones, also forces him to attend disorders for which the general doctor nor has received a suitable training, nor has the support of the specialist, because at the moment the intercommunication between the general doctor and the psychiatrist, is barely existent.

Nevertheless, the practice of the psicogeriatry demands a team work of different sanitary professionals, who take part having the maintenance of the autonomy and the functionality of the old ones as the high-priority objective.

It is suggested, on one hand, a specific training in psychogeriatry for the GP, and on the other hand, a solid training for the psychiatrist both in geriatry and in neurology care.

In the welfare field, the creation of specific teams of Interconsultant psychogeriatry of PA is suggested, that could be shared by several health centers. It would allow the advising and support to the general doctor in his work, more than his own follow up of the patient, developing his paper of interconsultant, as well as the participation of joint educational activities, at the same time that it would favor the mutual knowledge of the realities of everyone and the fluidity of the communication between both, even using new technologies. It would all result very favorably in the suitable attention to the old ones that suffer psychiatric disorders, in their own natural environment.