Psychiatry, Racism and Aging *

The basis for present inadequacies in the treatment of aged black psychiatric patients is discussed. Training programs in psychiatry should include working with people of a different race. The philosophical and social aspects of black culture should receive more attention. There is often a direct relationship between social status and type of mental illness. Many of the black patient's problems are related to race, and he is confronted with more obstacles in obtaining appropriate help. For elderly black people, there is pressing need for better integration of mental health services with other health and social services.