Older Adult Inpatient Services

The physical and lifestyle changes we inevitably face as we age can cause many older adults to struggle with such issues as depression, negative self-image, inability to cope with loss, mental deterioration, and other psychiatric disorders which impair functioning. Carrier Clinic®’s Older Adult Program is a safe haven of help and hope for older adults age 60 and over, with its focus on the short-term evaluation and treatment of their unique psychiatric disorders, and the renewal of quality of life. We integrate specialized treatment with family education and support that are equally vital components in our patients’ path to success, plus develop a concrete discharge plan for follow-up services during the older adult’s stay to ensure positive long-term progress.

Psychiatric Services:

Carrier Clinic® provides specialty treatment services for older adults suffering from psychiatric illness with acute behavioral changes, neurological conditions and/or emotional difficulties related to:

• Alzheimer’s Disease and other types of dementia
• Anxiety Disorder
• Bipolar Disorder
• Major Depression
• Schizophrenia

Facilitated by a team specialized in geriatric treatment, the unit provides two distinct programs for older adults:

The Older Adult Program specializes in treatment for patients 60 years and older who are experiencing an acute phase of psychiatric illness, or behavioral disturbances from Alzheimer’s Disease and other dementias.

The Active Senior Program specializes in treatment for patients 60 years and older who may be working, approaching retirement, or are recently retired, and suffering from acute disturbances from mood, anxiety and substance abuse disorders. The Active Senior possesses the cognitive abilities to positively respond to a higher level of education and therapeutic interventions while surrounded by their peers.

Our Array of Older Adult Treatment Services Include:

Cognitive Screenings

Family Education

Grief and Loss Recovery Groups

Group Therapy

Medication Evaluation and Management

Multi-Sensory Services

Nutritional Consultations

Occupation Therapy for Functional Impairments

Physical Therapy

State-of-the-Art ECT Services

Multi-Sensory Services

Based upon the Snoezelen concept, Carrier Clinic®’s Older Adult Program’s Multi-Sensory room serves to enrich the treatment of people with dementia and other cognitive impairments by providing a safe sensory-stimulating means of calming patients.

Behavioral problems like aggression can arise when a person with dementia becomes angry and/or frightened because they do not understand what is happening in their surroundings. The multi-sensory experience is effective in that it does not require cognitive interpretation; rather, it utilizes the proven soothing effects of different lighting, soft-to-the-touch wall and furniture textures, aromatherapy, running waterfalls, fish tanks and other sensory aids to calm the agitated state. This concept is virtually failure-free because it enables the patient to interact with their environment on a level that is appropriate for their functioning capability.