Fort Wayne, Indiana Leading Acute Rehab Program for Seniors

Horizons at Maple Heights is a specialized program in which adults age 55 and older can receive age-appropriate inpatient care for mental health concerns, including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and substance use disorders. This short-term program is designed to help adults achieve stabilization, with the goal of empowering them to return home or step down to a lower level of care.  

The average length of stay in our Horizons program is 10-14 days. The exact amount of time each patient remains in this program is determined by their needs and progress.

At Maple Heights Behavioral Health in Fort Wayne, we make all admissions decisions on an individual basis following a thorough review of each prospective patient’s history, needs, and goals. We want to be sure that our hospital is the right place for each person who seeks our help.  

In general, our Horizons program is designed for patients who meet the following criteria:  

• Senior adults age 55 and older of all genders  
• Struggling with a mental health disorder, a substance use disorder, or both (dual diagnosis)  
• Need round-the-clock care at the inpatient level  

Please also note the following important points about our admissions policies:  

• We accept self-referred patients, as well as those who have been referred by their family or a healthcare professional. We are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, so prospective patients, family members, and professional referral sources can contact us anytime.  
• We can accept both voluntary and involuntary admissions. Involuntary admissions must be approved by a judge. If a judge is not available to approve an involuntary admission but a physician has determined that the patient needs immediate care, we may be able to hold the patient on an emergency basis for up to 72 hours while awaiting judicial approval.  

Our focus on personalized care means that every patient will not receive every service we offer. We choose from an array of program features to select the ones that best align with each person’s specific needs. Depending on those factors, a person’s experience in our Horizons program may include the following features:  

• Basic medical care: After seniors complete their physical examination, they continue to have access to general practitioners who can address basic medical needs as they arise. If a senior develops a serious medical concern, we can refer them to a trusted hospital or another appropriate medical care facility.  
• Medication management services: Many senior patients benefit from the inclusion of prescription medications in their personalized plan. This service includes regular meetings with a psychiatrist. Registered nurses also monitor our patients’ use of prescription medications.  
• Group therapy: Groups are offered three times daily in our Horizons program. These groups may incorporate expressive therapies, activity therapies, or daily living skills trainings. They may also focus on other relevant topics, such as medication education. Depending on the type and focus of a group therapy session, it may be led by one or more of our nurses or clinical staff.  

The specific benefits a patient receives from our Horizons program can depend on a variety of individual factors. In general, though, we believe that everyone who turns to us in a time of need can benefit from the following:  

• Safe environment: Patient safety is our top priority at Maple Heights Behavioral Health. Elements of programming that are designed to promote patient safety include structured daily schedules, personal attention from our staff, and round-the-clock access to care.  
• Personalized care: Every patient who takes part in our Horizons program completes a thorough assessment and receives a personalized plan to guide their care. We monitor each senior’s progress throughout their time with us, and we can modify their plan as needed to ensure that they are receiving maximum benefit from our services.  
• Age-appropriate services: Age and personal history can influence how people are affected by mental health disorders and substance use concerns. These factors can also determine how a person will respond to various forms of care. In our Horizons program, patients are in a specialized environment that has been specifically designed for older adults.  
• Compassionate support: Our team is committed to providing each patient with comprehensive, compassionate support. We realize that seeking inpatient care for a mental health disorder or substance use concern can be a difficult experience for many older adults. We work closely with each patient to make sure that they know that they are in a safe place, surrounded by people who truly care about them.  
• Experienced staff: The expert clinical staff members who serve in our Horizons program contribute a wealth of training, insights, and experience to our patients’ care. Our dedicated multidisciplinary team is committed to identifying and meeting the unique needs of our older patients.  
• Detailed discharge planning: Before a patient completes their time in our program, a member of our staff meets with them and their family to discuss optimal next steps. Depending on each patient’s progress with us and continued needs, their detailed discharge plan may include referrals to step-down programming as well as information about community-based resources and support services.  

The time a person remains in the Horizons program at Maple Heights Behavioral Health will be relatively brief. But the care and support they receive here are designed to yield benefits that can truly last a lifetime.