ASSESSING RISK WITH OLDER PEOPLE IN MENTAL HEALTH CARE

Risk is commonly defined as a negative threat which needs to be controlled and mitigated, as a concept it takes high priority in contemporary mental health services. There is increasing pressure on mental health services to develop risk assessment practices. However, to date, most work and exploration reflects adult settings with limited consideration of the unique needs of older people, and the impact of risk assessment on the care they receive. The aim of this thesis is to present a multi perspective, in-depth understanding of assessing risk with older people in mental health care.