Introducing a group-based psychoeducation intervention for older people in an inpatient mental healthcare setting
Intended for healthcare professionals
Evidence and practice    

Introducing a group-based psychoeducation intervention for older people in an inpatient mental healthcare setting

Hannah Harrison Trainee clinical psychologist, University of Leicester, Leicester, England
Talha Alarakhia Therapeutic practitioner, Children and Adolescents Placement Provisions, Bedford, England
Philip John Archard Mental health practitioner, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service, Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust, honorary associate professor, University of Leicester, Leicester, England, associate lecturer, Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust, London, England

Why you should read this article:
  • To identify the benefits that group-based psychoeducation intervention may bring to inpatient care settings for older people with mental health issues

  • To better understand how group-based interventions are experienced by older people with mental health issues

  • To reflect on some of the challenges involved in introducing group-based interventions in inpatient care settings

This article reports on a service evaluation of a group-based psychoeducation programme for older people in an inpatient mental healthcare setting. It sought to explore how the programme was experienced by patients and staff, as well as its acceptability and the feasibility for implementation in the longer term. Via questionnaires, views were gathered from patients and staff. A focus group interview with staff facilitating the group sessions was also undertaken, and patient attendance records for sessions were collected and compared with demographic data relating to the two wards housed in the unit where the programme took place. The programme was generally viewed as a positive addition to care delivery by staff and patient respondents in offering an adjunct to pharmacological treatment, increasing familiarity with psychology staff, encouraging patients to develop a greater degree of mastery regarding their health and fostering mutual support among the patient community. The role of the ward environment in supporting access to group-based intervention is also considered.

Nursing Older People. doi: 10.7748/nop.2023.e1438

Peer review

This article has been subject to external double-blind peer review and checked for plagiarism using automated software

Correspondence

philip.archard@nhs.net

Conflict of interest

None declared

Harrison H, Alarakhia T, Archard PJ (2023) Introducing a group-based psychoeducation intervention for older people in an inpatient mental healthcare setting. Nursing Older People. doi: 10.7748/nop.2023.e1438

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank all the patients and staff who participated in the evaluation and group sessions and would particularly like to acknowledge the occupational therapy, nursing and psychology staff who supported the initial development of the programme content and facilitation of the group sessions

Published online: 05 July 2023

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