Geriatric psychiatry, also known as gerontopsychiatry, treats older people, usually aged 65 and over and therefore in the post-professional phase of life, who are suffering from a psychiatric illness and/or are experiencing a life crisis. Geriatric psychiatry is a branch of clinical psychiatry and psychotherapy and deals with the diagnosis and treatment of psychiatric illnesses in older people. In principle, the same illnesses can also occur in younger people, but they often take on a specific form in old age and therefore require specialised therapeutic knowledge and skills. On the other hand, geriatric psychiatry diagnoses and treats people with behavioural problems and mental symptoms of dementia.

In view of the increasing number of older people, even more comprehensive and specialised treatment services are needed. In addition to inpatient and semi-inpatient services, there is predominantly nationwide outpatient care as well as measures for health promotion and prevention, especially for people with dementia.