Delusional symptomatology as seen by a community mental health outreach team

Abstract

Delusional symptomatology arising in late life may be common but not well understood, particularly among elderly individuals who remain living in the community. In this study, approximately 15% of all cases seen by a geriatric mental health outreach team in a six-month interval involved clients with delusional beliefs.The nature of the delusional presentation, interventions employed, and barriers to intervention were compared between a group of individuals with delusions, but no evidence of dementia (n = 16) and a group with delusions and dementia (n = 29). Overall, a feeling of being plotted against by others was the most common delusion and approximately half of the individuals in each group reported hallucinations. In addition to differences in psychiatric history, preoccupation with delusions, and delusional content, the groups were clearly distinguished in terms of compliance with treatment; moreover, non-compliance was viewed as the main barrier to effective intervention. Implications and suggestions for future research are discussed.