Maltraitances et démences : pertinences de prises en charge en hôpital de jour psychogériatrique

Because of their greater psychological and physical vulnerability, elderly patients with dementia are at high risk of abusive treatment. Numerous causes lead to a wide variety of situations. The prevalence of abusive treatment is greater among subjects living at home than those residing in nursing homes. For proper detection and prevention, all professionals must be aware of the problem. In France, a national associative group is working in this direction, helping professionals and the general public to become more aware of this still under-estimated phenomenon. Effective assessment tools are lacking. Geriatric day-care hospitals offer an excellent setting for diagnosis and follow-up. They are a good answer to the problem because they propose active support for patients and their caregivers, throughout the disease duration. Situations of abusive treatment can be readily detected, generally allowing an adapted solution.