J. Wertheimer, Professor for psychogeriatrics at the University of Lausanne and Chairman, Geriatric Psychiatry Section, World Psychiatric Association (WPA) and Dr. J. A. Costa e Silva, Director, Division of Mental Health and Prevention of Substance Abuse (WHO) organized a Consensus Meeting which took place in Lausanne from 05.-07.02.1996. The meeting aimed at the elaboration of recommendations on psychogeriatrics. The meeting was attended by the above mentioned WHO and WPA representatives and also by representatives from the following organisations: International Psychogeriatric Association, International Association of Gerontology, International Union of Psychological Science, Alzheimer's Disease International, International Council of Nurses, International Federation of Social Workers, International Federation of Ageing, World Federation of Occupational Therapists. Further attendants were various experts who participated at the meeting on invitation of Prof. Wertheimer and Dr. Costa e Silva. The discussion was chaired by Prof. H. Häfner (Mannheim). Dr. N. Graham (London) and Prof. C. Katona (Harlow/Essex) acted as co-rapporteurs. The Consensus Statement was unamnimously accepted by all participants. It contains recommendations for the development within a field of great future importance with regard to the current and expected global demographic structure and the increasing knowledge about agespecific diseases and general health, social and personal problems of the elderly.