[Coping styles, treatment satisfaction and adjustment of geriatric inpatients]

82 geriatric and 48 younger patients were investigated in two medical departments at the end of their hospital stay concerning stressors, coping styles, social support and psychic adaptation. Overall the geriatric patients seemed to be well adapted although there were many stressors. Probably this resulted from an adaptive constellation of coping styles and from high contentment with treatment. There were no large differences between the geriatric and the younger patients, nor essential changes in the three months after dismission from the hospital for these patients, who took part in the catamnestic interview. The "holistic" way of treatment, which was realized in one of the two departments, seemed to help geriatric patients cope successfully with illness.