A special population. The elderly deinstitutionalized chronically mentally ill patient.

Deinstitutionalization began with some noble sentiments: to treat and care for the mentally ill in settings that were closer to their homes, families, and neighborhoods; to treat people in more therapeutic and less restrictive settings; and to provide the array of services and settings in the community rather than in far distant institutions. However, few of these intentions have been realized. It is up to us to point out the discrimination, the inequity, indeed the insanity of our current practices and non-system.