[Therapy through social workers? The tasks of social therapy in the aged]

In therapeutic treatment of emotionally ill old persons it is imperative to consider the effect that social environment, diseases, disabilities and increasing dependency have on the individual. It is the purpose of this paper to present a psychoanalytically orientated concept, that integrates both the exploration and analysis of intrapsychic conflicts and supporting interventions by way of social therapy. This is shown for individual as well as for group settings. There is also a discussion of the possibilities to have this treatment carried out by specially trained social workers.