[Gerontology and nursing care]

This paper focuses on questions of the philosophy of science and the scientific development of gerontology and nursing science. First, some aspects of the scientific development in gerontology and nursing science (autonomy, inter- and multidisciplinarity as well as the theory debates) are summarized. In gerontology, problems of the philosophy of science are often neglected. The main focus is on empirical research and the establishment of an scientific infrastructure. In nursing science are questions of the philosophy of science, especially debates about the discipline, are significant. In Germany nursing research and the establishment of a scientific infrastructure are still in the initial stages. Second, on the basis of a content analysis the relevance and status of "nursing/need of care/frailty" in two leading journals ("Zeitschrift für Gerontologie und Geriatrie" and the "Pflege") is shown. Main result is that in nursing science publications regarding the status of the discipline, studies of the motivation, attitudes and behavior of nurses as well as investigations of the professionalization are dominant. In gerontology, the main emphasis is on studies of the changing health service structure, geriatric assessment and qualification. Finally chances of an interdisciplinary exchange between gerontology and nursing science are discussed.