[The geriatric day care clinic--a model also for the management of demented patients?]

The semi-stationary way of clinical treatment (day clinic) is of great importance for the geriatric field. As to diagnostics and therapy of demented patients, day hospital treatment reveal a number of advantages and disadvantages. In particular for fairly serious or seriously ill demented patients daily journey to and from the hospital are too much for them, and their clinical picture deteriorates. On the other hand, the patient benefits from a further integration into the domestic environment alongside with intensive diagnostics and therapy which is not feasible for in-patients. The need of the elderly to keep up their independence in their familiar habitat with all social and emotional contacts can be met better rather by semi-stationary diagnostics and treatment than during a full-time stationary care at the hospital.