Long-Stay Patients in Canadian Mental Hospitals, 1955-1963

Changes in the number and characteristics of patients in Canadian mental hospitals during 1955-1963 were studied in order to assess the future need for long-term hospital care.

Despite marked increases in the number of first admissions and readmissions, the average number of patients in hospital decreased 6% from 49,537 in 1955 to 46,498 in 1963.

Patients who were “long stay” in 1955 continued to leave hospital at the same rate during the years 1960-1963 as during 1955-1959. No “hard core” of long-stay patients with reduced potential for discharge seemed to have formed by 1963.

Since 1955 the number of “admissions” remaining continuously hospitalized has progressively decreased for the elderly and for patients with psychoses. No build-up of new long-stay patients from patients with repeated short admissions was evident.

The estimate of the Royal Commission on Health Services that the ratio of patients in mental hospitals could be reduced from 3.0 per 1000 in 1961 to 1.5 per 1000 by 1971 seems feasible.