Some Thoughts on Occupational Therapy in a Department of Geriatrics

Abstract

This article presents the author’s views on some of the problems of institutionalised geriatric patients in Italy. It stresses the importance of respect of the elderly patients’ needs and of their emotional as well as physical well-being. It describes the occupational therapy role as a container through the experience of “doing together.”

Key words:

• respect
• mourning
• autonomy
• containment