The Need to Integrate Liaison Psychiatry and Geropsychiatry

Abstract

About 30% of medical and surgical inpatients are 65 years old or older, and the latter account for about 30% of referrals for psychiatric consultation. Delirium, dementia, and depressive and anxiety disorders are prevalent in these patients, and liaison psychiatrists are forced to function as (untrained) geropsychiatrists. The author proposes that liaison psychiatrists take over the role of geropsychiatric consultants to elderly medical and surgical inpatients and that fellowships in geropsychiatry-liaison psychiatry be funded to provide appropriate training. Integration of liaison psychiatry and geropsychiatry in general hospitals would provide needed service for the elderly, and enhance the stature of liaison psychiatry.