Mental health services for the rural elderly: the SAGE experience.

The mental health services of the Senior Adult Growth and Enrichment (SAGE) Program, a demonstration project in North Carolina, are described. The SAGE staff used a differentiated model of day treatment that tracked clients according to disabilities and potentials. Staff provided outreach in a rural area to older people with mental illness and to their caregivers. The rationale and specialized methods of the project are described. Services were tailored to meet unique needs brought on by diverse mental disorders, functional disabilities, and varying life circumstances.