Overview

Each of the above settings have distinct needs and pressures. Thus, our services are conceptualized within a framework of viewing the facility as client. In addition to providing psychological services to the individual resident, we address staff needs through in-service training programs --- such as personal stress management, dealing with difficult residents, and facility-wide behavior modification programs.

In recognition of the changing client base of nursing facilities, our services have become more diverse in scope while individualized to the needs of the sub-populations of our client facilities. As noted below, these services range from individual and group psychotherapies for chronic mental health problems to behavioral health interventions for pain and other medical conditions.

Psychological Services

CHE has carefully developed a program of psychological services to meet the specific needs of residents in nursing and rehabilitation facilities. These include the following:

1. Diagnostic Assessment of patients’ psychological functioning, with specific recommendations for rehabilitation and treatment.
2. Individual Psychotherapy to address the patient’s emotional and cognitive difficulties. We also maintain consistent communication with staff through feedback and charting.
3. Group Psychotherapy to address a variety of psychological issues such as depression, anxiety, coping with a disability, or cognitive impairment.
4. Family Therapy utilizes a family member (child, spouse, or sibling) in the therapeutic process. Placement of a family member in a nursing home can be very trying for the whole family. Family sessions allow individuals to find more effective ways of responding to their family member's concern, dealing with their own reactions and ultimately improving the resident’s psychological functioning.
5. Staff Training on a variety of psychological issues is provided free of charge. These include managing difficult patients, stress management, and so forth.
6. Behavior Management to address common behavior problems, such as wandering, personal care difficulties, and sexual acting out.
7. Health and Behavioral Services these services address a wide range of physical health issues, such as patient adherence to medical treatment, symptom management of chronic diseases, including: pain management, diabetes, COPD, as well as treatment of post stroke and cardiac patients.
8. Pain Management Programs thru multi-modal psychological interventions such as relaxation training, imagery, and psychosocial support.
9. Alzheimer's Screening through a multi-modal neurobehavioral assessment.
10. Neuropsychological Testing to assess cognitive deficits in the domains of attention, memory, and executive function.
11. Cognitive Assessment neuropsychological and neurocognitive assessment that assist in differential diagnosis, treatment planning and identifying cognitive functioning that impact memory, attention and problem solving to improve overall cognitive functioning.
12. Development of Cognitive Skills cognitive rehabilitation, such as development of cognitive skills that address strengths and deficits identified by neuropsychological assessment that utilize cognitive exercises to improve attention, memory and problem solving to help better manage mood and behavior.