St. Catherine Hospital in East Chicago, Ind., part of Munster, Ind.-based Community Healthcare System, is offering more programs and improving facilities to better assist patients in need of psychiatric care, according to the Post-Tribune.
Community Healthcare System invested $4.9 million to modernize St. Catherine's inpatient psychiatric unit and to expand mental health services by adding a 16-bed psychiatric unit for adults 65 and older.
The new older-adult unit was constructed with the patients' ages in mind. The facility creates a soothing atmosphere with tonal hues of green, structures featuring smooth lines and rounded corners and recreation areas that can be used for group therapy. The physical space was a surgery unit 20 years ago.
"Older adults have a lot more medical issues and also cognitive dementia and Alzheimer's, so it's built and staffed very different," said Jake Messing, program director of behavioral health services for Community Healthcare System, in the Post-Tribune.
Integrated care models are trending upward in the medical community, because behavioral issues can be risk factors for physical health problems like heart disease, obesity and diabetes.
Mr. Messing told the Post-Tribune CHS delivers extensive training to their nurses to enable them to recognize psychological disorders in patients being treated for physical ailments.
St. Catherine COO Craig Bolda hopes the hospital's services can help stimulate a broader conversation about mental health in the community. Mr. Bolda told the Post-Tribune, "I believe that the words anxiety and depression should be talked about just as much as hypertension and diabetes."
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