[Rehabilitation instead of resignation. Must the nursing home be the end station?].

The numbers of old people are increasing, as are the amounts of finance required for the care of the elderly. In addition sickness funds, too, are confronted with rising funding requirements due to the multimorbidity of old people. The causes underlying the increases in nursing and care expenditure to be carried by the communities, as well as of services and benefits to be made available by the health insurance sector, are put forth. Early rehabilitation would be capable of eliminating many of the causal factors involved, and doctors in particular have to become more aware of the importance and potential of geriatrics. This approach could remedy the resignation found in many of those concerned, hence stimulate overall rehabilitation efforts. Rehabilitation of senior citizens aims at reducing the functional limitations experienced by old people, seeking to reduce the extent of disablements in daily living, i.e. to preserve a high level of independence in the seniors. The services and programmes necessary for achieving this aim are described.