[Status of day care treatment of elderly psychiatric patients in West Germany and West Berlin].

The possibilities as well as the limits of day-hospital treatment for elderly mentally ill patients are described, using as a basis a general survey on the situation of psychiatric day-hospitals in the Federal Republic of Germany and West Berlin. As of July 1, 1982, there were at least seven day-hospitals specializing in psychogeriatric patients, whereas a further eight institutions admitted elderly mentally ill patients as well as the usual patients. For all these day-hospitals a review of the current status is given regarding funds, size of program, integration into the existing network of psychiatric services, referral sources, the individual programs perceived mission, clientele, exclusionary criteria, duration of stay, therapeutic activities and staffing. Finally problems such as indication, clientele and delimitation of other ways of treatment are discussed. Questions are asked with regard to the purpose and the necessity of specialized psycho-geriatric partial hospitalization programs.