Senior mental health

Our program for senior adults offers:

• Comprehensive nursing care
• A multidisciplinary team, consisting of physicians, geriatric psychiatrists, nurses, therapists and technicians
• Assessment/treatment of cognitive and functional decline due to depression, dementia, anxiety and/or substance use
• Assistance with activities of daily living
• Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) (for those who can benefit from it)
• Recreation, pet and music therapies

The plan of care for treatment involves a mind, body and social evaluation of an individual. The focus of the plan is to support the recovery from a high-impact life event and to significantly reduce the probability of mental health issues. Each treatment plan is aimed at instilling positive coping skills and building on strengths to achieve a balanced life.

Our plan of care includes:

• Active psychiatric treatment with 24-hour access to a psychiatrist
• An aftercare plan linked to the presenting behaviors that resulted in the patient’s admission to the program and address post-hospitalization needs
• Ensuring family and individual support systems are an active part of the treatment team to foster positive outcomes
• Medication administration and monitoring
• Ongoing contact with personal caretakers, medical caretakers and the facility (when appropriate for purposes of aftercare planning)

Intensive outpatient program (IOP)

Our IOP is designed to support and maintain mental and emotional health while providing our patients with the necessary tools to achieve mental well-being in an outpatient setting. IOP empowers you in a group setting by participating in treatment during the day and returning home each afternoon.

Our IOP is appropriate if you are struggling with:

• Crisis management
• Depression and/or anxiety
• Management of daily living skills
• Self-injury
• Addictive behavior

This program is for individuals who are physically healthy and are at no immediate risk of harm to themselves or others.

IOP for seniors take place Monday through Thursday from noon to 3:00pm at the Behavioral Health and Wellness Center in Aurora.

For more information about the IOP, call (303) 360-3736..

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a proven method to help adults who need help achieving mental well-being, especially if other therapies have not worked. It's important to note that ECT is very different now compared to how it was used many decades ago. Today, a team of professionals — including a psychiatrist, an anesthesiologist and a nurse — administers ECT while you undergo general anesthesia. Modern ECT consists of controlled electrical currents that affect brain chemistry in a way that can improve mental health.

Who benefits from ECT?

ECT is especially beneficial if you have not responded well to medications or are experiencing a rapid regression into crisis. It can help if you

• Cannot tolerate the side effects of certain medications
• Experience symptoms of catatonia
• Have had multiple hospitalizations and regress rapidly into crisis
• Need of rapid, definitive response because of the severity of a psychiatric or medical condition
• Suffer from depression, mania or psychosis and who have not responded or only partially responded to conventional treatment, such as medications and therapy

For more information about the ECT or to schedule an assessment, call (303) 360-3150 or fax (303) 360-3152

Psychiatrists at our outpatient psychiatric clinic can help develop a medication plan that works best for your life.

The clinic is currently scheduling appointments Monday through Friday from 8:00am to 5:00pm.

To make an appointment for a senior at the outpatient clinic, call (720) 282-8015 or fax (303) 340-9927.

Adults 65 years old and older can receive the benefits of our program's treatments by calling (844) 556-2012.