[A bio-psychosocial treatment concept improves coping with illness by geriatric patients]

37 geriatric patients, who had been treated in hospital on the base of the biopsychosocial model of illness, were compared with a control group of 36 patients, who underwent traditional therapy of internal medicine, in regard to coping with illness. Both samples did not differ in diagnosis and other characteristics of the illnesses, e. g., social situation, institutional factors and ways of hospital organisation and coping styles. But as suspected the patients treated with the biopsychosocial concept felt better supported by the medical staff and were more content with treatment, and the mental adaptation to illness was better before discharge from the hospital. We conclude that the "therapeutic environment" using a biopsychosocial concept of treatment helps geriatric patients to cope successfully with illness.