Psychiatric and Psychological Observations in a Geriatric Clinic

Abstract

French

1. A report is given on 47 patients seen during the first 10 months of operation of a multidisciplinary geriatric clinic.

2. Psychological tests were performed on 42 of these patients. They revealed a low average I.Q. and E.Q. of the group as a whole probably due, in part, to the life long low socio-economic status of the patients, and more so to the fact that about two-thirds of those tested showed “organic signs” on psychological tests.

3. In spite of this, only 19% of the group showed clinical signs of organic brain disease. This is taken as an indication of a remarkable capacity to compensate for organic deficits even at advanced age. It is suggested that “personal factors” may be responsible for this capacity.

4. Therapeutic measures to be taken with the different diagnostic groups are suggested.

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