The role of community nursing in providing integrated care for older people with alcohol misuse.

摘要

Alcohol misuse in older people is a growing problem for health and social care providers, but remains largely hidden from public view and therefore largely overlooked by commissioners. Many older people with alcohol misuse have a 'dual diagnosis' (alcohol misuse accompanying other mental disorders) rather than alcohol misuse alone, which requires specialist nursing expertise. Over the past 10 years, assessment of and interventions for the detection of alcohol misuse in older people have been developed within one London borough. This article details the background, strategy and outcomes of this service, which provides integrated care in a multi-disciplinary community mental health team covering an inner-city area with a high prevalence of alcohol misuse and dual diagnosis in older people.