[Responsibility for patients dependent on outside help, especially elderly citizens].

The present paper will pay attention to tendencies and problems in the care of persons requiring help, particularly of older ones. It is attempted to outline the developmental conditions for the present dealing with old people in our society and from this to derive the growing responsibility of public health and social welfare services for the direct care of these people as well as the organisation of their care within the family and the housing community. The inpatient sector of different specialties in the territory as well as the outpatient sector, in particular the family doctor and the community nurse, must participate in this responsibility. Moreover, the care for older persons, the forming of adequate attitudes to them within the population and the creation of more favourable conditions for a care within the family is a task of the whole society.