Geriatric Care: What Makes Ridgeview Institute Unique

Older adult mental health often goes undiagnosed because it is often– mistakenly– considered a normal part of aging. At Ridgeview Institute, we strive to provide comprehensive psychiatric evaluations and inpatient care for adults aged 55 and over experiencing cognitive, behavioral and psychiatric disorders.

Established in 1999, the Senior Adult Psychiatric Program at Ridgeview Institute Smyrna is designed to provide safety, beauty, and comfort to patients while accommodating the unique needs of senior adults, including those with physical limitations who may need more assistance.

In a recent interview, Dr. Gary Figiel, the medical director of the geriatric program talks about the elements that distinguish the Ridgeview Institute campuses apart from other behavioral health facilities.

Ridgeview Institute provides around the clock nursing care, medication management, group therapy, family therapy, activity therapy, and educational groups. Our team of internists and nurse practitioners work tirelessly 7 days a week to ensure that our weekend coverage is the same as weekdays.

Many patients that come in with cognitive and behavioral problems are vulnerable and need as much hand-holding as possible, even though they might not ask for it. We understand that, which is why our units are intended to cater to every need a patient might have. We critically analyze every patient’s behavior so that we can understand the severity of their mental health disorder, and how to best approach treatment.

Many mental health hospitals that provide inpatient care or outpatient services for the elderly are not equipped with the responsibility that comes with catering to its patient. Often the rooms don’t provide patients the special assistance they need, or their walkers get lost in the hallways which can further lead to anxiety, isolation and sleep issues.

At Ridgeview, we aim to provide not just physical well-being but also holistic mental health care.

Our mental health facilities are designed to reduce the limitations that our patients might face now or in the future. This approach has helped reduce behavioral agitation, which in turn minimizes the need for medication. Our staff is trying to usher in a new era of geriatric care that branches-out to ensure we cover the complete spectrum of mental illness and provide standard yet personalized behavioral healthcare to everyone.

Our goal for the future is to create three distinct mental health treatment tracks to address the specific psychological and developmental needs of this age group with a model of wellness, life balance, and enrichment.

Our first treatment plan is for high functioning cognitive individuals that have mild cognitive problems or for patients coming in for mood disorders such as depression or anxiety disorder.

Our second subdivision is for patients experiencing significant cognitive challenges that may require more structure, direction, and assistance due to Alzheimer’s disease, cognitive impairment, delirium, psychosis or other mental health conditions.

Our third and last category is for patients who require a higher level of inpatient care due to their medical problems. We provide extensive care and are there should patients need help bathing or dressing

All of these treatment plans are created and implemented by professional teams that work closely with each patient to set realistic goals for treatment and to develop a continuing care plan to ensure that their ongoing needs are met.

For the full interview with Dr. Gary Figiel, please view it in full on our YouTube channel.

August 31 is International Overdose Awareness Day, an annual occasion dedicated to educating the public about a well-known but often misunderstood problem. It’s also a time to remember the lives lost to drug overdoses, eliminate the stigma surrounding overdose deaths, and empower communities to take meaningful action to combat the problem.

Drug Overdose: What the Numbers Are Telling Us

While even one life lost to a drug overdose is one too many, recent statistics on overdose deaths are especially startling. More drug-related deaths occur in North America than anywhere else in the world. One-quarter of all drug-related deaths happen in the US. For people under age 50, drug overdoses are the leading cause of death. Every day 120 people lose their lives to an overdose, and 2016 saw a staggering 64,000 drug-related deaths.

International Overdose Awareness Day: Remember Lives Lost To Overdose

Too often, the lives claimed by drug overdoses are merely seen as figures in growing statistics, but their loved ones know better. International Overdose Awareness Day gives communities an opportunity to commemorate lives lost too soon to drug use, raise awareness, and help people get connected to substance abuse treatment. If you’d like to get involved, here are a few suggestions:

• Learn all you can about how to recognize signs of a drug overdose.
• Hold a candlelight vigil and create safe spaces for people to share their stories about losing a friend or family member to drug use.
• Contact state and federal legislators to advocate for better laws geared toward opioid abuse prevention, alcohol abuse treatment, and the like.
• Partner with local organizations to raise funds and educate the public about how to prevent drug overdoses.
• Follow the National Safety Council on Facebook to learn more about raising awareness.
• If you’ve lost a loved one to a drug overdose, you can place that person’s name on the Celebrating Lost Loved Ones map.
• Distribute purple shirts and wristbands in honor of International Overdose Awareness Day, display empty hats or shoes in memory of lives lost, or provide paint and canvas for people to stamp a hand print as a tribute to a lost loved one.

Comprehensive Substance Abuse Treatment

Whether you need alcohol withdrawal treatment or are addicted to prescription drugs, Ridgeview Institute can help. They provide a comprehensive, customized approach that includes inpatient care, partial hospitalization, and/or intensive outpatient therapy. Contact us to learn more or to schedule an evaluation.

Lacey, Washington, July 16, 2019 – Washington has a new state-of-the-art hospital to treat specialized mental health issues. Located in the Woodland Square District of Lacey, Washington, a suburb of Olympia, South Sound Behavioral Hospital is open and offering a full continuum of psychiatric care with 108 new beds.

“We continue to build on US HealthVest’s history of developing new hospitals to meet the urgent need for behavioral healthcare,” said Richard Kresch, M.D., President and CEO of US HealthVest. “At South Sound Behavioral Hospital, we are delivering specialized psychiatric care in one of the most innovative behavioral hospitals in the country today.”

South Sound Behavioral Hospital provides behavioral health services to all patients, regardless of ability to pay. Comprehensive services include free 24/7 assessments, inpatient care and outpatient services. Units are designed to treat the growing needs of unique populations including youth, military and veterans, geriatric, women’s and dual diagnosis.

South Sound Behavioral Hospital is US HealthVest’s second hospital in Washington, contributing to an integrated delivery system. With Smokey Point Behavioral Hospital in Marysville and South Sound Behavioral Hospital in Lacey, US HealthVest has a broad geographic reach with comprehensive service offerings and solid relationships with payors and providers in Western Washington.

US HealthVest transformed a formerly vacant office building into a modern behavioral hospital offering a safe and therapeutic environment. The 78,000 square foot facility has four floors with warm and open spaces. Shared amenities include activity rooms, therapy spaces and a dining area, along with indoor and outdoor recreational spaces. South Sound Behavioral Hospital adds to the revitalization of the vibrant Woodland Square District in Lacey with the addition of over 200 high quality jobs. For more information, please visit www.southsoundbehavioralhospital.com.

About US HealthVest

US HealthVest is an innovative provider of behavioral healthcare services focused in the Chicago, Atlanta and Seattle markets. US HealthVest operates Smokey Point Behavioral Hospital, South Sound Behavioral Hospital, Chicago Behavioral Hospital, Silver Oaks Behavioral Hospital, Lake Behavioral Hospital, Ridgeview Institute-Smyrna, Ridgeview Institute – Monroe and is developing additional psychiatric hospitals across the country. Accredited by The Joint Commission, US HealthVest’s hospitals provide specialized psychiatric care to patients with a full range of inpatient and outpatient services for children, adolescents, adults and senior adults. US HealthVest was founded in 2013 by Dr. Richard Kresch, formerly Founder & CEO of Ascend Health Corporation and Heartland Health Developments. For more information, please visit www.ushealthvest.com.

Contact:

Richard Kresch, M.D.

President and CEO

US HealthVest

(212) 243-5565

Ridgeview Institute – Monroe is excited to announce that it has entered into a contract with the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD) to provide Adult Mental Health Inpatient Beds. Ridgeview will be providing services to those whom have a variety of psychiatric diagnoses and are referred by DBHDD in regions 1 and 6 within the state of Georgia.

The intention of the inpatient services being delivered by Ridgeview is to provide recovery-oriented treatment and supports that increase the functioning of persons experiencing a psychiatric crisis. Services are based on individualized treatment plans and include services provided by Ridgeview’s inpatient program, as clinically indicated.

Upon stabilization of the psychiatric crisis, the individual is connected to the appropriate level of care and transitioned back into their community. The desired outcomes of this service are: 1) Successful hospital to community transition, 2) Effective collaboration with community service providers, 3) Effective discharge planning, 4) Linkage and referral to community services, 5) Reduction in hospital readmission.

Ridgeview is proud to be a partner with DBHDD in offering exceptional mental health services for Georgia regions 1 & 6. Please call our A & R department with any questions you may have about treatment options at Ridgeview – Monroe 844-350-8800

The newest Healthy Youth Survey conducted in Washington revealed a disturbing trend after interviewing almost a quarter of a million teens. 23% of tenth graders said they had experienced suicidal thoughts or had reported feeling suicidal over the past year. What’s worse is that, according to this report, 10% of tenth graders actually attempted suicide in the past year.

The importance of teen mental health can’t be overstated or underestimated. Suicide is the second leading cause of death for ages 10-24, and four out of five teens who have attempted suicide give clear warning signs of depression, that either go ignored or untreated.

Kilye Graves, a teen from Issaquah, Washington sat down with K5 News to share her experience with depression. “I was in a place where I felt alone and kind of helpless,” Graves says. “I stopped doing things, I stopped caring about school. Things here and there that I didn’t notice until it got worse and it showed.”

Her symptoms of depression first surfaced in 5th grade and continued to snowball in her teens. “I tried to—I did something that put me in a facility,” she says, recalling that, not too long ago she was trapped in a downward spiral struggling with school, sports, and her sexuality. Minor mental health treatments weren’t working for her, but at Smokey Point Behavioral Health Hospital she found the help she desperately needed to begin the healing process.

“I loved it there. That sounds weird in a way (but) It really helped to be around people you can talk to and being there just put all of these puzzle pieces together,” Graves said as she describes her experience at the mental health facility.

Kilye also met someone she credits for saving her life there, Dr. Caroline Fisher, a mental health professional at Smokey Point Behavioral Hospital.

“It’s hard to be a kid these days—it really is,” Dr. Fisher says. Dr. Fisher goes on to discuss how social media (our wireless world) puts an unnecessary amount of stress and anxiety on teenagers. In a world that priorities likes & retweets, this causes teenagers such as Kilyre to question their self-worth. In her experience, mental health therapy combined with the right environment and external support was the catalyst for healing.

“Even better, they keep living and turn into valuable people. If they die—we won’t have these valuable people and they are precious,” Dr. Fisher continues, overwhelmed with emotion. Even after assisting hundreds of kids to overcome their mental health issues, the joy Dr. Fisher gets from improving someone else’s life still manages to leave her emotional. She can’t help but blink her tears of joy as she talks about Kilye and her progress.

Teen mental health is hard to navigate because often it is concealed as a phase of teenage behavior that might just pass. Teenagers like Kilye help broaden the horizon and eradicate the stigma associated with mental illnesses. Asking for help or even knowing you or a loved one needs help can be challenging to say the least, but success stories like these give us all hope and reason to not suffer alone in silence. If you or a loved one is in need of mental health treatment, remember that you are not alone. The mental health professionals at Smokey Point Behavioral Hospital are here as an ally, and together we can work through mental illness.

New Lenox, IL April 30^th, 2019 – Silver Oaks Behavioral Hospital is now providing specialized inpatient psychiatric treatment to adolescents ages 13-17 (18 if still in high school). The 25-bed unit is dedicated to providing a safe and therapeutic environment of care for teens to focus on healing and feeling better.

Silver Oaks Behavioral Hospital is aware that teens face increasing challenges from daily life. While in behavioral health treatment, teens will learn different types of coping mechanisms and techniques to help them understand mental health and appropriate self-care. They can feel safe to talk about their feelings, share their experiences and focus on healing.

Among others, the inpatient adolescent program will provide evidence-based treatment for depression, anxiety, ADHD, impulse control, self-injury, anger, bipolar disorder, suicidal thoughts, and trauma-related conditions.

Under the direction of Jyoti Randhawa, Chief Medical Officer, and board-certified child and adolescent psychiatrist, the program will feature regular provider meetings combined with group therapy, recreation therapy, and weekly family activities. A focus on education is also included so teens won’t fall behind in their school work.

Youth suicide in Illinois is of great concern. For every completed adolescent suicide, there are an estimated 100-200 attempts. Youths aged 15-19 have the highest rate of suicide attempts than any other age group in the state.

Silver Oaks Behavioral Hospital is a brand new state of the art facility which employs the latest evidence-based treatment modalities. Families can expect their loved ones to receive the most modern psychiatric care available.

As a community service, the hospital provides no-cost mental health assessments 24/7. For more information, or to schedule an appointment, call (844) 580-5000.

New Lenox, Illinois, January 28, 2019 – US HealthVest and Silver Cross Hospital announced the opening of Silver Oaks Behavioral Hospital, a newly constructed, 100-bed behavioral hospital that will provide a full continuum of specialized inpatient and outpatient mental health care to patients of all ages.  Located on the campus of Silver Cross Hospital, Silver Oaks Behavioral Hospital is a joint venture between US HealthVest and Silver Cross Hospital.

“We are excited to work in partnership with Silver Cross Hospital to bring these critical services to the community,” said Richard Kresch, M.D., President and CEO of US HealthVest.  “Together, we are delivering specialized psychiatric care in one of the most innovative behavioral health hospitals in the country today.”

Silver Oaks Behavioral Hospital provides behavioral health services to all patients, regardless of ability to pay. Comprehensive services include free 24/7 assessments, inpatient care and outpatient services.  As is consistent with US HealthVest’s long history of de novo hospital development, Silver Oaks is scaling up programs to ensure the highest quality care and has opened with a Senior Adult program to address the growing needs of that unique population.

Silver Oaks is the newest addition to US HealthVest’s system of behavioral hospital in the Chicago area.  US HealthVest operates Chicago Behavioral Hospital in Des Plaines and Lake Behavioral Hospital in Waukegan.  With three hospitals in Chicagoland, the US HealthVest system has a broad geographic reach to offer comprehensive service offerings and solidify relationships with payors and providers.

Silver Oaks, the first new psychiatric hospital to open in Illinois in 20 years, is a two-story facility with open spaces, fostering a safe and secure environment. Shared amenities include activity rooms, therapy spaces and a dining area, along with indoor and outdoor recreational spaces. US HealthVest invested approximately $22 million to construct the 70,000 square foot facility on the campus of Silver Cross Hospital.

About US HealthVest

US HealthVest is an innovative provider of behavioral healthcare services. US HealthVest operates Chicago Behavioral Hospital, Silver Oaks Behavioral Hospital, Lake Behavioral Hospital, Smokey Point Behavioral Hospital, Ridgeview Institute-Smyrna, Ridgeview Institute – Monroe and is developing additional psychiatric hospitals across the country. Accredited by The Joint Commission, US HealthVest’s hospitals provide specialized psychiatric care to patients with a full range of inpatient and outpatient services for adolescents, adults and senior adults. US HealthVest was founded in 2013 by Dr. Richard Kresch, formerly Founder & CEO of Ascend Health Corporation and Heartland Health Developments. For more information, please visit www.ushealthvest.com.

Contact:

Richard Kresch, M.D.

President and CEO

US HealthVest

(212) 243-5565

Details coming soon!

Indianapolis, Indiana, October 15, 2018 – US HealthVest announced the development of Indianapolis Behavioral Hospital, a new stand-alone behavioral center that will provide a full continuum of specialized inpatient and outpatient mental health care to patients of all ages. The new hospital will be located on the campus of Hendricks Regional Health in Plainfield, Indiana.

“We are excited to work in collaboration with Hendricks Regional Health to bring these vital services to the community,” said Richard Kresch, M.D., President and CEO of US HealthVest.  “Indianapolis Behavioral Hospital will treat the increasing and unmet need for specialized mental health services in the growing Indianapolis area.”

The facility will provide behavioral health and addiction treatment services to all patients, regardless of ability to pay. Comprehensive services will include free 24/7 assessments, inpatient care and intensive outpatient services. A full range of specialized programs will be offered, such as a Women’s Program, a Youth Program, a Co-Occurring Disorders Program, a Geriatric Program and a Psychiatric Intensive Care Program.

“The shortage of mental health services in our community and across the state and nation is at an unprecedented level,” said Hendricks Regional Health President & CEO Kevin Speer. “In Hendricks County alone, mental health and substance abuse were tied as the number two overall health concerns in the most recent Community Health Assessment. This collaboration with US HealthVest helps us bridge the gap for the children, adults and families who need these critical services.”

The project also brings a positive economic impact for Hendricks and surrounding counties. US HealthVest will invest $25 million to construct the 77,000 square-foot facility. The two-story hospital will have open spaces with views of nature, fostering a safe and nurturing environment. Shared amenities will include activity rooms, therapy spaces and a dining area, along with indoor and outdoor recreational spaces. Indianapolis Behavioral Hospital, expected to open in early 2020, will create over 250 new high-quality jobs with full benefits, as well as bring new state and federal funds to the area.

About US HealthVest

US HealthVest is an innovative provider of behavioral healthcare services. US HealthVest operates Chicago Behavioral Hospital, Lake Behavioral Hospital, Smokey Point Behavioral Hospital, Ridgeview Institute-Smyrna, Ridgeview Institute – Monroe and is developing additional psychiatric hospitals across the country. Accredited by The Joint Commission, US HealthVest’s hospitals provide specialized psychiatric care to patients with a full range of inpatient and outpatient services for adolescents, adults and senior adults. US HealthVest was founded in 2013 by Dr. Richard Kresch, formerly Founder & CEO of Ascend Health Corporation and Heartland Health Developments. For more information, please visit www.ushealthvest.com.

About Hendricks Regional Health
Hendricks Regional Health is a nationally recognized, not-for-profit, charitable, healthcare organization with a deeply rooted legacy of community service. The Hendricks’ culture is built on our vision to be the community’s indispensable healthcare partner and on these seven values: Respect, Empathy, Integrity, Courage, Collaboration, Loyalty and Engagement. More than 2,200 associates live these values each day through a shared philosophy of patient-centered, high-quality, low-cost care.

In 2018, Hendricks was awarded a five-star overall rating for quality and safety by the Centers for Medicaid & Medicare Services. We are a Magnet® hospital for nursing excellence and are accredited by Healthcare Facilities Accreditation Program (HFAP). Hendricks achieved the Healthgrades 2018 Outstanding Patient Experience Award™ and is one of only 13 hospitals to be recognized in the top five percent in the nation for Outstanding Patient Experience for eleven consecutive years. In addition, since Fall 2016 Hendricks Regional Health has received consecutive “A” ratings in patient safety from Leapfrog.

Hendricks staffs a full complement of physicians in a variety of specialties at locations in Danville, Avon, Plainfield, Brownsburg, Lizton and Bainbridge, Indiana. For more information, please visit www.hendricks.org.

Contact:

Richard Kresch, M.D.                                                              Stacey Bulla

President and CEO                                                                  Communications Specialist

US HealthVest                                                                          Hendricks Regional Health

(212) 243-5565                                                                         skbulla@hendricks.org, (317) 745-8407

 Waukegan, IL, October 10, 2018 – US HealthVest announced the commencement of construction of Lake Behavioral Hospital in Waukegan, Illinois.  The new 146-bed behavioral hospital will provide a full continuum of specialized psychiatric care.

“Since our acquisition of Vista Medical Center West in March 2018, we have continued to provide quality behavioral healthcare services to the community,” said Richard Kresch, M.D., President and CEO of US HealthVest. “This new hospital will allow us to expand behavioral health services to treat the urgent and growing need for psychiatric care in Lake County and beyond.”

Located in the heart of Waukegan, Lake Behavioral Hospital will continue to provide psychiatric care to patients during the construction of the new hospital. Comprehensive services include free 24/7 assessments, inpatient and outpatient care.  Once construction is complete, all services will be relocated to the new hospital.  A full range of specialized programs will be offered including, but not limited to, a Women’s Program, a Youth Program, a Co-Occurring Disorders Program, a Geriatric Program, and a Psychiatric Intensive Care Program.

US HealthVest is investing approximately $30 million to transform the medical office building on campus into a new 88,000 square foot, 146-bed psychiatric hospital.  The hospital is designed to provide open spaces with daylight, enabling for a safe and therapeutic environment.  Shared amenities include activity rooms, therapy spaces, and a dining area, along with recreational activity spaces.  The new hospital, expected to open in the fall of 2019, will create over 200 additional high-quality jobs and will revitalize the surrounding Waukegan area.

Lake Behavioral Hospital is using local vendors for the design and construction of the building, including Legat Architects and Reed Construction as the General Contractor.

Chicago is a core market for US HealthVest. US HealthVest operates Chicago Behavioral Hospital in Des Plaines, and will open Silver Oaks Behavioral Hospital, a joint venture with Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox, in December 2018.  Lake Behavioral Hospital allows US HealthVest to strengthen its position in the Chicago market by offering comprehensive service offerings and solidifying relationships with payers and providers.

About US HealthVest

US HealthVest is an innovative provider of behavioral healthcare services. US HealthVest operates Chicago Behavioral Hospital, Lake Behavioral Hospital, Smokey Point Behavioral Hospital, Ridgeview Institute-Smyrna, Ridgeview Institute – Monroe and is developing additional psychiatric hospitals across the country. Accredited by The Joint Commission, US HealthVest’s hospitals provide specialized psychiatric care to patients with a full range of inpatient and outpatient services for children, adolescents, adults and senior adults. US HealthVest was founded in 2013 by Dr. Richard Kresch, formerly Founder & CEO of Ascend Health Corporation and Heartland Health Developments. For more information, please visit www.ushealthvest.com.

Contact:

US HealthVest

Richard Kresch, M.D.

President and Chief Executive Officer

212-243-5565