[A longitudinal analysis of the inpatient treatment of the elderly in psychosomatic departments].

Objectives: This article investigates the development of the inpatient treatment capabilities of older patients from the age of 50 onward in inpatient psychosomatic-psychotherapeutic departments over a period of 15 years.
Method: A Germany-wide postal survey that was almost identical to two previously conducted cross-sectional surveys (Lange et al. 1995; Wenker 2010) was sent to psychosomatic-psychotherapeutic departments. This survey collected data on the status and concept of the department as well as on the number of patients, number of elderly people, programs for elderly people, and future concepts of the departments.
Results: The response of psychosomatic departments was higher than in previous years. The forms of therapy used differ between the individual clinic subtypes. The programs for elderly people remained constant, as did the special qualification measures for employees. Proportionally more elderly patients from the age of 50 onward were treated in psychosomatic clinics and departments, two thirds of whom were women.
Discussion: The survey revealed that psychosomatic-psychotherapeutic therapies for the treatment of elderly people increased over the last year. With regard to the demographic change and the future receptiveness of elderly people to psychotherapy, the inpatient sector seems to be prepared for the rising numbers of elderly people. How large the lack of therapy capacity needed for inpatient psychosomatic-psychotherapeutic treatment will be cannot be answered by this survey.