Abstract
he informed consent at geriatric psychiatric wards is - to the detriment of patients - a neglected topic. This article contains a commented enumeration of selected important issues that bind primarily to the informed consent.
It points out that the problems are related to the continuing stigmatization of psychiatry and at the same time, to the fact that psychiatric patients among the seniors expect a paternalistic attitude of the physicians. Reduction of associated complications can be also expected from the functional system of guardianship.