An enhanced assessment and support team (EAST) for dementing elders – review of a Scottish regional initiative

Abstract

Background: There is increasing acceptance of the benefits of community assessment and support for older people with mental health issues but there remains a lack of evaluation about community teams for this patient population.

Aims: To report on the rationale, utility, and 12-month outcomes of a multiagency enhanced community assessment and support team (EAST) for elders with dementia living in a Scottish health region

Method: Naturalistic evaluation of the EAST pilot, making comparisons to the local psychogeriatric admission unit and day hospital, with a survey of contact professionals and voluntary agencies and with semi-structured interviews of carers.

Results: The multiagency community team was able to comprehensively assess and support at home patients with dementia who previously would have been referred to the local psychogeriatric admission ward and day hospital, with a consequent reduction in the utilization of these hospital facilities. Both professional and voluntary agencies, and carers, were positive about the service.

Conclusion: Integrated multiagency community mental health teams for the older population can be effective, meeting the needs and wishes of both patients and carers, and reducing the requirement for centralized hospital-based services.

Declaration of interest: None.

Keywords:

• Dementia
• psychogeriatric
• mental health
• multiagency
• community