Family care versus hospital stay for chronic psychiatric patients.

Despite some resistances from the nursing personnel, the patients and their relatives, we have realized in the period from 1968 to 1977 the transferral of 78 patients into the family care at Geel. A brief survey of the selection criteria and the composition of this group is presented. The outcome is analysed with regard to a number of parameters: stability of the family placing, symptoms or behaviour abnormalities, subjective attitude of the patient, interactions wih foster family and other persons, occupational activities, distraction, contacts with the own family. Of the total group, 56 patients are considered as relatively well integrated in the foster family setting. For a large majority of those patients, their social functioning seems enriched and more differentiated.