[Social structure and social behavior of elderly ambulatory surgical patients]

Geriatric surgery is getting more and more important. Rising expectation of life, improved pre- and postoperative therapy deferred the age limit for elective operations for about 20 years above the former average. In a chance control we examined the social structure and the social behaviour of older ambulant patients suffering from surgical complaints. The arrangement of those patients according to their age, their homing conditions, their working time after their age limit and the general possibilities of communication were analysed. The importance of the social anamnesis for the therapeutic effect was proved. The regular increase of appropriate dwellings for older persons has to be secured. The possibilities contacts between old-age pensioners and social organisations have to be developed furthermore in order to integrate more and more older persons into social life.