Psychiatric age-related illnesses should not only be viewed as deficits. Their various manifestations are understood as responses to losses in old age and represent attempts at self-healing or adaptation. From this understanding of psychiatric age-related illnesses, the authors develop forms of empathetic engagement with mentally ill elderly individuals. The clinical pictures are described in detail using practical examples. The social situation—whether the elderly person is in their home environment or institutionalized—serves as the starting point for nuanced considerations of diagnostic and therapeutic options, which are presented clearly and in a practice-oriented manner. The book is designed to explain technical terms within the text, making it an excellent introductory textbook on gerontopsychiatry for all professional groups.