[Integrated geriatric and psychiatric care unit : lessons learned]

Somatic diseases in the elderly are frequently associated with comorbid depression. A geriatric syndrome, depression impairs functional status, complicates the management of acute somatic decompensation and hinders rehabilitation, thereby increasing the risk of institutionalization and mortality. Liaison services sometimes prove insufficient in the most complex situations, which justifies the development of integrated geriatric-psychiatric units, still rare in Switzerland. Drawing on the experience of a unit in Geneva and a review of its activity over the past three years, this article describes the organizational requirements for joint care and the elements transferable to other centres.