When a family member suffers from a mental or emotional illness, everyone else in the family is affected. Encino Hospital Medical Center is here to let families and patients know they are not alone in caring for an elderly parent or older loved one with physical and emotional problems.

Encino Hospital’s Gero-Psychiatric Program provide quality care in a setting conducive to assess, diagnose and treat acute mental health problems in geriatric patients 55 years and older.  

The Gero-Psychiatric program provides a secure inpatient area that provides intensive assessment and treatment for patients suffering from acute psychiatric disorders, who may also experience intellectual and memory impairments and aging related difficulties.

Services and Treatment

We provide a full range of services for the effective treatment and management of mental health issues in seniors. Inpatient hospitalization gives seniors age 55+ the opportunity to focus on life stressors away from the distractions of everyday life. Care is provided in a safe, secure and attentive environment. Our services include:

• Comprehensive assessment and diagnostics
• Specialized individual and group therapy
• Individualized treatment plans
• Multi-disciplinary team approach
• Concurrent medical management
• Discharge planning
• 24 hour clinical nursing team
• Specialized activities

 

Knowing When It’s Time to Seek Help

     Have you noticed any of these worrisome signs in yourself or a loved one?

• Memory problems, such as getting lost in a familiar place
• Mild confusion, for example, being unsure of the date or time
• A decline in personal appearance
• Depression or anxiety
• Frequent episodes of anger or sadness
• Difficulty with everyday tasks, such as climbing stairs or cooking dinner

 

These symptoms are not normal at any age and could be considered an illness in the elderly. Most emotional illnesses in older people are treatable, especially if dealt with early. The Encino Hospital Medical Center’s Gero-Psych Program works with older adults and their families to help improve the quality of their life. Our staff provides full evaluations, including medical and psychiatric assessments, to determine how an older adult may need help and what treatments may be most beneficial. If you’re worried about yourself or a loved one, call (818) 995-5174 to schedule an appointment.

Patient Referrals

The Gero-Psychiatric program staff at Encino Hospital Medical Center strives to work closely with your doctor. Your primary care physician will be updated routinely on the status of your treatment. We also coordinate referrals to physician specialists on an as-needed basis.

Our Admitting Department staff are here to provide you with ongoing support to assist you in working with your insurance provider to ensure coverage for treatment. For immediate assistance, please contact our Admitting Office at (818) 995-5018.