Psychiatria pre prax 3/2011

Torture and abuse of mentally ill elderly patients – case reports

Author describes the essential characteristics of terms abuse and misuse. She excludes social group of older people as vulnerable in various aspects and with brief case reports she is focusing on her own experience and knowledge of the torture and abuse of geriatric psychiatric patients. The aim is to draw attention of specialists to this issue with possible differential diagnostic considerations on the etiopathogenesis of mental disorders in senium patients. On the other hand, the legal background of this phenomenon exists; therefore author is analyzing legal pitfalls of clarification and closures the cases of patient abuse or neglect in the case reports from her own practice.

Keywords: torture, abuse, neglect, geriatric psychiatric patient, legal norms.