[Does geriatric rehabilitation need a psychosocial foundation?]

In view of the differentiality and multidimensionality of ageing, especially with regard to geriatric rehabilitation, a look at psycho-social and also the environmental context is indispensable. Above all there are mental and social components that hide the physical consequences of acute incidents and that lead to a reduction in the quality of life. Yet it is a widespread opinion that expansion and the level of health care, in geriatry and in rehabilitation, are nowadays oriented toward what is seen to be medically necessary and economically feasible. Increasing mechanization, rationalization, standardization, and economizing are unambiguous indicators. All the other mental and social needs are problems ranking much lower in the health provision policy as well as in geriatric rehabilitation, and are still far behind the medical and economic requirements set by professional therapists, the health provision policy and the question of who pays for the benefits. However, in consideration of the available knowledge of gerontology, rehabilitation as well as health and nursing sciences and--above all--for humanitarian reasons a psycho-social foundation for geriatric rehabilitation seems to be indispensable.