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Flushing Hospital Medical Center: Leveraging the Geriatric Service Demonstration Program to Sustain Integrated Care for Patients
In order to lay the groundwork for systems change to better meet the needs of older adults in New York State, the Geriatric Mental Health Act was enacted on August 23, 2005. The law authorized the establishment of the Interagency Geriatric Mental Health and Chemical Dependence Planning Council, the...
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A Geriatric Substance Abuse Recovery Program
Substance abuse among the geriatric population is often overlooked or ignored, despite the finding that almost a fifth of older adults misuse drugs and/or alcohol (Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, 2012), and evidence showing the detrimental impact of substance abuse on elders’ quality of...
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Healthy Aging Requires More Than Health
Our nation’s population is rapidly aging. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, by 2030 all members of the Baby Boom generation will have reached or surpassed 65 years of age, and the population of older adults will outnumber children for the first time in our nation’s history (United States...
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How Senior Centers Combat Isolation
Whether it’s due to distance or the passing of friends and family, many older adults find themselves outside of the social circles to which they once belonged. Now aged and reliant on others for help, many seniors become isolated and depressed, which can have devastating effects on physical and...
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Impact of Social Isolation Among Older Adults Living with a Mental Health Diagnosis
Risk of social isolation and resulting loneliness becomes increasingly more prevalent as we age, lose friends and family, and navigate chronic health conditions. Situational factors including diminished social and familial roles, together with physical limitations increase the incidence of...
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Caring for Older Adults
We are now eight years into the “elder boom.” Sadly, the implications of this vast demographic shift are still not taken seriously. Yes, there is anxiety about sustaining Social Security and Medicare. And yes, there’s increasing talk about “healthy aging.” But even with these most obvious...
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Telephonic Care Management Program for Patients with Medicare
In this important issue on care for the elderly in Behavioral Health News, we hope to highlight the success of our telephonic care management service to the aging population at The Institute for Family Health’s (IFH) network of community health centers in New York City and upstate New York....
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Senior Volunteer Programs Provide More than Service
The United States Census Bureau estimates that the 65 and older population will reach 73 million by 2030. Baby boomers are the fastest growing population in the United States and by 2029 will comprise 20% percent of the total national population. With that in mind, social service providers are...
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AGES (Assessing, Guiding, and Empowering Seniors): Supporting Seniors Aging in Place in Supportive Housing
The Bridge’s Aging Services program addresses critical gaps in the mental health system by offering individualized care to seniors with behavioral health and physical health conditions living in supportive housing. In 2014, with approximately 800 beds in service, The Bridge recognized that we...
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The Mental Health Needs of Older Adults
Our society continues to age, and it is estimated that by 2030 there will be more than 75 million Americans over the age of 65. The population of older adults (60 YO+) is growing faster than any other age group. According to Institute of Medicine, 1 in 5 older adults will experience at least one...
