Best practice in psychogeriatric care.

Abstract

This paper presents a best practice model for psychogeriatric care. Best practice is becoming one of the most common expressions used in the area of health care, and is often referred to in government reports and documents. The definition of 'best practice', however, is still evolving. What then, is best practice? And how can the principles of best practice be applied and integrated into the clinical speciality of psychogeriatrics? The article emphasizes the importance of evidence-based interventions and the need to focus on the pragmatic aspects of providing best practice in the clinical area of psychogeriatrics; that is, what works best in practice? The position taken by the authors of this paper is that the conceptualization of a best practice model in psychogeriatrics is necessary in order to describe and explain the different components involved in the service provided. This conceptualization also communicates and articulates the role of the major stakeholders, and the key players in the achievement of best practice. A psychogeriatric service may become more coherent, more goal-orientated and more efficient if a model is utilized. This paper outlines a proposed model of best practice in psychogeriatrics, and discusses the potential implications for achieving desirable clinical outcomes.