Program Summary – Gretchen Watts, RN – Program Director, Behavioral Health Services for Older Adults at Berwick Hospital Center
The Behavioral Health Center is a geriatric psychiatric in-patient unit that is committed to treating older adult patients with mental health problems, such as depression, anxiety, obsessive compulsive behaviors, schizophrenia and other psychoses. The center is in its 15thyear. Gretchen has been with the center for 5 years.
President Cindy Lombard, Gretchen Watts, and Matt Turowski
Behavioral Health accepts patients ages 55 and up – the majority of the patients are age 65 and over. Eighty percent of the patients have a dementia diagnosis. The service area includes those communities within a 100 mile radius of Berwick. Some patients are referred from nursing facilities, while others come from their private residences. The unit is a 14 bed in-patient facility, with an average census of nine. The average length of stay is 10 – 14 days. Patients receive a medical evaluation at the Emergency Room prior to admission to the unit. The unit has access to the physical, occupational, and speech therapy departments of the Berwick Hospital. There are regular medical visits to the unit in addition to the mental health treatments.
The unit receives a number of requests from those in the sandwich generation. The staff seeks to steer people to the appropriate resources in caring for parents and other adults.
Dr. Victor Muneshwar has served as the long-term psychiatric medical director of Behavioral Health Services.
During a question and answer period, Gretchen responded to the following topics.
Q: What do you mean when you say “stabilize dementia.”
A: While there is no cure for dementia, there are treatments for some of the symptoms such physical aggression, etc.
Q: Does nutrition play a role in treatments?
A: Yes, a dietician reviews patient diets and works with the patients.
Q: Are some patients admitted involuntarily?
A: Behavioral Health works with the Area Agency on Aging on this process. A Risk Statement from a doctor or emergency room can be taken to the court for the admission process.
Q: Where do the patients go upon discharge?
A: All patients need a safe plan for discharge – which may include returning home, to an assisted living center, etc.
Thank you to Gretchen for her presentation. Thank you to Matt Turowski, program chair, for arranging this informative program.
