AbstractOne hundred and sixty‐three patients treated with electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in a district psychogeriatric unit during 1981 were followed up after 3 years. After the original course (mean 11·2 treatments) 51% were rated as fully recovered and 23% as much improved. Two‐thirds experienced one or more relapse within 3 years but half of these regained full remission. Of the 113 patients alive at 3 years 59% were free of depression and 29% showed mild symptoms only. Those making full initial recoveries had fared best subsequently. It is suggested that ECT has an important and generally underestimated place in the management of depression in the eld