Screening of Psycho-cognitive Troubles in Elderly Patients

Impact of a Geriatric Mobile Unit on the Screening of Psycho-cognitive Troubles in Internal Medicine Departments and Circumstances of Calling in This Unit.

The main objective of the study is to assess the rate of patients with psycho-cognitive troubles among hospitalised elderly patients.

It also aims to assess this rate among patients 1) when the geriatrics mobile unit is involved in the screening of these troubles and 2) when it is not.

All the patients (75 and older) hospitalised in the internal medicine department of a suburban Parisian hospital are included in the study and their psycho-cognitive functions assessed by a geriatrics physician, using 3 validated tests.

The result of this screening provides the rate of psycho-cognitive troubles among patients that would not have been tested by a geriatrics physician in usual care. It assesses the interest of a systematic evaluation of elderly patients by the geriatric mobile unit.

Inclusion Criteria:

• patients aged 75 years old or more
• hospitalised in internal medicine

Exclusion Criteria:

• patient confused (interference with the assessment of psycho-cognitive functions)
• diagnosis of dementia at admission
• refusal of the patient or close relative for participating in the study
• poor understanding of French language
• hospitalisation for less than 3 nights