Q&A
My grandmother may need to be treated on a psychiatric unit. I am
afraid that she will be overmedicated. Will that happen in your
program?
Unfortunately the overmedication of the elderly is a common
problem. This is a common concern on the part of family and friends of our
patients.
We want the public to know that we not only understand this concern but we
share it. The elderly are even more vulnerable than other people to the
unwanted side effects of psychiatric medications. In addition, it is not
well known by the public that a variety of drugs used to treat common
medical conditions can also have adverse affects on the brain areas that
affect thinking, feeling, behaving, and overall function. Unfortunately, it
is sometimes necessary to use one or more drugs that can effect the brain
and behavior for either medical or psychiatric purposes.
We do use pharmacological treatments when necessary on our unit. We use them
as needed to protect patients and staff and if a behavior is so disruptive
that it prevents necessary medical treatment. We attempt to use regularly
scheduled psychotropic medications for targeted purposes and when non
pharmacologic methods are not sufficient to treat the patient.
Our program allows us to target behaviors and to use lower doses and fewer
psychotropics in the interest of avoiding adverse side effects. We also look
at the non psychiatric medications that may be having an impact on thinking,
feeling, and behavior.
Our team approach which includes expert assessments by our pharmacist, our
behavioral psychologist, our nurses, our licensed clinical social worker,
and our physicians enable us to minimize medications. Because our patients
are under close observation and because they are seen by our psychiatrists
on a daily basis we are often more comfortable lowering the dose or
eliminating psychotropics on this unit than we would be in other settings
including nursing facilities and medical floors.
If my elderly father has began refusing medications and will not eat,
should I consider your Geriatric Neurobehavioral Program?
Medication and or food refusal can represent a serious problem if
not treated. Sometimes serious depression in the elderly can manifest this
way. Serious medical causes can be at the root of this and should be ruled
out. If they are ruled out or if our medical consultants and our
psychiatrists agree that this can be safely managed on our unit,
consideration can and should be given to admission to our unit.
What can I expect from an inpatient psychiatric stay at your
hospital?
We have an expert treatment team including nurses, pharmacists,
social workers, recreational therapists, psychiatrists, geriatricians, and a
neuropsychologist. We also have a full array of medical consultants
available when needed. Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy are
available for consultation and treatment when appropriate. For specialized
cases we can and do consult a Physiatrist to assure care is coordinated with
the behavioral issues to maximize maintenance and or restoration of
function.
The team will work together to address the behavior that brought your loved
one to need hospitalization in the least restrictive way possible. We will
also provide guidance upon discharge to you and to whoever is assisting you
in caring for your loved one after discharge.
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