The degree of multiple pathology in 184 consecutive patients admitted to a geriatric unit was recorded using the 13 commonest conditions present at the time of admission to provide a standard group of disorders for comparison. All of the conditions were chronic in nature, and 35% of the patients had a combination of four or more of these present. Multiple pathology was associated with poor prognosis in terms of mortality and the need for long-term institutional care. Families, including those who were elderly, continued to support most of the frail elderly people even in the presence of multiple pathology. This emphasizes the social implications of multiple pathology and the need for support and information in the management of long-term disability.