title: [General systems theory, a mental frame for geriatric psychiatry].
abstract: Though psychogeriatrics is becoming a word of common usage, it is not a word of common meaning. This is a consequence of the lack of a generally accepted theoretical model regarding the complex and multiple pathology of the psychiatric disturbances of older people. On epistemological grounds the author stresses the necessity of a common theoretical concept and as such introduces the General System Theory. The systems approach then shows that the word 'psychogeriatrics' is rooted in a reductionistic concept of man. In order to avoid this the author prefers 'psychiatry of old age' to cover the broad field of the psychiatric disturbances of the elderly.
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D005852:Geriatric Psychiatry; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000628:therapy; D008606:Mental Processes; D013598:Systems Theory; D009626:Terminology as Topic
vernacular_title: Algemene systeemtheorie, een denkraam voor de bejaardenpsychiatrie.