The emotional problems of the aging and the aged are increasing as the population grows older. To understand and treat these patients the physician has to know the premorbid personality, the past and present history and the precipitating factors responsible for the psychotic or neurotic reaction. The most frequent stresses to this group are: the physical and psychological impairment, the death of close relatives, the retirement problems and the cerebral injuries due to circulatory handicaps. The effect of those stresses upon the conduct of the patient have to be understood at the light of the psychodynamics of the individual. The treatment is a consequence of this understanding and takes into consideration ego strength, instinctual and reality demands, types of mechanisms of defence utilized and degree of désintégration and impairment of the intelectual and physical functions. The use of an eclectic approach with psychoanalytic orientation has proved to be the most fruitful way to treat this group of psychiatric patients.