[The concept of geriatric medicine and differentiated geriatric care].

The concept of geriatric medicine as a differentiated care of geriatric patients is discussed. Essential is the conception of a geriatric patient, endangered by specific geriatric risks and profiting from the specific geriatric care and regimen. Within the institutional geriatric elements, methodological issues of the development of the geriatric care namely the acute geriatric hospital wards in and subacute hospital wards are stressed. Significance of paramedic personnel (nurses, occupational therapy) in geriatric care is given and the necessity of follow up and long-term hospital care as well as primary non-medical care and community centers is shown. The potential of the district geriatric nurses employed by community centers parallel to the home care agencies is mentioned.