[15 years of geriatric day care clinics in Germany]

Day hospital treatment for psycho-geriatric patients in the Federal Republic of Germany started in 1976. At present (October 1991) 13 psychogeriatric day hospitals are established. The day hospitals offer a wide range of diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. Though they are expected to be of great importance especially for the elderly, day hospitals don't play a significant part within the care system for psycho-geriatric patients in Germany. It seems to be recommendable, to establish more psycho-geriatric day hospitals, especially together with an out-patient department and an information centre ("Geronto-psychiatrisches Zentrum"). In addition the care system should be supplied with day centres, in particular for those patients suffering from chronic paranoid psychosis or dementia; the medical care of out-patients should be improved. Besides that the efficacy of day hospital treatment for psycho-geriatric patients should be evaluated.