[Psychiatric family care in Ravensburg-Weissenau--development and initial experiences]

It is unfortunate that mental patients with long-term hospitalisation patterns are still necessarily scheduled for long-term stay in mental hospitals and institutions designed for the care and treatment of psychiatric cases, since such institutions are characterized by a rather sterile, low-stimulation atmosphere underlining rather than relieving the severity of the disease. This article presents a possible alternative, namely, care of mental patients within the framework of a foster family; these patients has been hospitalised for a long time and are now living in families who are remunerated for their efforts and are given medical assistance in performing their task as hosts. An attempt is made to describe the initial work in setting up such host patterns, particularly during the first year after initiation of the scheme, and to point out the mistakes that were committed and the resulting re-orientation efforts. Case reports on host families and "guests" illustrate the principles of psychiatric family care.