There has been renewed interest in the problems of depressions in the elderly. It is now recognized that up to 30% of patients admitted to a geriatric unit will be suffering from a depressive illness. Most of these patients will be undergoing a recurrent phase of the illness, but not all of them. About 10% of first attacks occur after the age of 60 years. In a mental hospital about 1 in 30 of the chronic patients over 65 years will be found suffering from a depressive illness of some duration.