[Solitude in the elderly].

Elderly people who are deprived of the warmth of human contact are at the risk of turning inward. For the very old, an atmosphere such as this can become psychologically catastrophic and lead to depressive syndromes such as extreme sadness, a desire to do nothing, sleep problems and even dementia. An in-depth analysis of the environment of the elderly inspires readers to address care objectives and interventions that will minimize and prevent these negative consequences.