[Aims and realities in geriatric psychiatry]

The psychiatric care of the elderly in the Federal Republic of Germany must presently be considered to be inadequate. At the present the main point of emphasis in treatment is placed almost exclusively on the stationary sector, having a predominantly keeping character. What is necessary, however, is psychogeriatric activity which unfolds itself very substantially in the field of out-patient diagnostics, therapy and health education in order to cope better with the handcaps of the the elderly. Apart from the urgently needed establishment of new institutions, the overcoming of the wide-spread therapeutic pessimism in the care of the older people is to be seen as a substantial aim, particularly of those active in geriatric health care.