The Senior Program is a specialized environment where adults age 55 and older can receive age-appropriate inpatient care for mental illnesses and substance use disorders, which is the clinical term for addiction.  

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. 

Average length of stay in our Senior Program is seven to 10 days. The exact amount of time any specific patient remains in this program is determined by their needs and progress. 

At Maple Heights Behavioral Health, 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 Senior Program is designed for patients who meet the following criteria: 

• Senior adults age 55 and older of all genders  
• Have 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 Senior Program’s 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 Senior 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 patients who receive care in our Senior Program benefit from the inclusion of prescription medications in their personalized plan. This service includes regular meetings with a psychiatrist and psychiatric nurse practitioners. Registered nurses also monitor our patients’ use of prescription medications. 
• Detoxification: Senior adults may receive care at Maple Heights Behavioral Health for either primary or co-occurring substance use disorders. If intense withdrawal pain has been preventing a patient from ending their substance abuse, they may begin their time with us in our detoxification program. Our detox professionals can help senior patients complete the withdrawal process safely and with minimal distress. 
• Medication-assisted treatment (MAT): MAT is an innovative approach that combines medication with therapy to help people achieve recovery from addictions to certain substances. Patients who participate in MAT in the context of our Senior Program may receive Suboxone to ease the cravings and other distress they would otherwise experience once they ended their substance use. MAT has proved to be safe and effective on both a short- and long-term basis.  
• Group therapy: Groups are a daily feature of care in our Senior Program. We offer process, recreational therapy, living skills, and goal-setting groups. These groups may focus on a range of relevant topics, such as developing coping skills, identifying triggers, medication education, and disease education. Depending on the type and focus of a group therapy session, it may be led by one or more therapists, nurses, recreational therapists, or behavioral health technicians.  
• Family therapy: Family therapy sessions may be included in a senior’s personalized plan when necessary and appropriate. Family therapy sessions can help loved ones learn how to better support their family member during and after their time with us. Family therapy can also empower participants to heal conflicts or rifts in their relationships so that they can function as a more cohesive unit moving forward. Family therapy sessions at Maple Heights Behavioral Health are led by social workers and licensed professional counselors. 

The specific benefits a patient receives from our Senior 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 in our Senior Program and in all other programs 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 Senior 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 Senior Program, patients are in a specialized environment that has been specifically designed to be of maximum benefit to older adults.  
• Compassionate support: Our team is committed to providing each patient with comprehensive, compassionate support. We realize that entering 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 dedicated professionals who serve in our Senior Program contribute a wealth of training, insights, and experience to our patients’ care. Our staff includes psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners (NPs), registered nurses (RNs), licensed practical nurses (LPNs), social workers, licensed professional counselors (LPCs), recreational therapists, a dietitian, and behavioral health technicians. 
• Detailed discharge planning: Before a patient completes their time in our Senior 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 Senior 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.