Salt Lake City’s Preferred Senior Inpatient Treatment Program

Highland Ridge Hospital provides a geriatric inpatient program that offers personalized care for older adults who have been experiencing mental health challenges. At our hospital near Salt Lake City, Utah, we offer comprehensive, age-appropriate treatment to senior adults in a supportive environment that’s conducive to sustained healing and recovery.

Learn About Our Geriatric Inpatient Program

Overview of the geriatric inpatient program at Highland Ridge Hospital near Salt Lake City, UT

Senior adults exhibit symptoms of mental illness differently than other populations do. We designed the geriatric inpatient program at Highland Ridge with that in mind, offering an inpatient psychiatric program that takes into account the cognitive states, physical abilities, and life stage of our patients of advanced age.

Our intake department and admissions staff will work with you or your loved one to develop an individualized treatment plan that addresses the unique physical, mental, and emotional needs of our senior adult patients. This allows our clinical staff to tailor treatment to the individual in a way that promotes the best possible outcome. All admissions are determined on a case-by-case basis depending on the individual’s medical history and treatment needs along with bed availability at our hospital.

The geriatric program at our facility near Salt Lake City, Utah, benefits older adults by providing them with a supportive environment that is specifically geared toward a senior population. Our staff is specially trained to understand the unique challenges our older patients are experiencing, incorporating issues such as memory problems, grief and loss, physical concerns, and other significant life changes into our therapeutic programming.

The average length of stay for patients in our geriatric inpatient program is seven to 14 days, but that time can vary based on an individual’s needs and recovery goals.

What We Treat

What we treat in the geriatric inpatient program at Highland Ridge Hospital near Salt Lake City, UT

The geriatric psychiatric inpatient program at Highland Ridge provides treatment for a variety of mental health concerns, including:

  • Dementia with behavioral disturbances
  • Disruptive behavior disorders
  • Depression
  • Bipolar disorder
  • Anxiety
  • Schizophrenia
  • Self-harm
  • Suicidal thoughts and behaviors

This is not a comprehensive list of the mental health concerns that we treat in the geriatric program at our facility near Salt Lake City, Utah, but these conditions are among the most common that we see in the senior patients who come to heal with us.

Types of Treatment

Types of treatment used in the geriatric inpatient program at Highland Ridge Hospital near Salt Lake City, UT

We use general evidence-based principles of recovery and healing to form the foundation for our geriatric programming, and then we tailor it to give our senior patients the best possible care and chance at recovery.

The treatment modalities that our staff focuses on throughout the therapeutic process include reminiscence therapy, sensory integration, mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT).

Our most prominent therapeutic intervention within the geriatric program is group therapy. A typical day in treatment at our hospital near Salt Lake City, Utah, includes multiple groups. Patients will experience therapy groups, recreational groups, and psychoeducational groups. All group therapy sessions are led by either a mental health therapist, a recreational therapist, a behavioral health technician, or a nurse. Some of the topics covered during group therapy sessions include:

  • Mindfulness
  • Self-care
  • Medication management
  • Deep breathing
  • Relaxation
  • Goal setting
  • Communication skills
  • Leisure well-being
  • Dealing with diagnosis

Highland Ridge also offers experiential therapies on a daily basis, led by a licensed recreational therapist (RT) or certified therapeutic recreation specialist (CTRS). Our facility also offers consultations with physical therapists and occupational therapists on an as-needed basis.

The final therapeutic element that our hospital offers is family therapy. Family involvement can be vital in achieving successful outcomes, so we want our patients and their families to stay connected throughout their time at Highland Ridge. We have licensed social workers and mental health counselors working closely with families to engage both the patient and those close to them in treatment. We also stay in constant communication with loved ones and family members as it relates to discharge planning and possible step-down care.

Additional Specialized Services

Other care features of the geriatric inpatient program at Highland Ridge Hospital near Salt Lake City, UT

Along with the therapeutic options available within the geriatric inpatient program at our hospital near Salt Lake City, Utah, Highland Ridge offers medical care on a daily basis. Our hospital is equipped to provide lab work, oxygen, and diabetic care as part of our programming. The experts who administer medical care to our patients include:

  • Registered nurses (RNs)
  • Licensed practical nurses (LPNs)
  • Dietitians
  • Psychiatric nurses
  • Psychiatrists
  • Physicians

Additionally, Highland Ridge provides our older adult patients with medication management services. An RN or LPN will monitor or administer all patients’ medication, and patients can expect to meet with a psychiatrist at least six days per week.

Our hospital also offers medical detox services for those senior adult patients who are struggling with addiction. Detox at our hospital lasts for between four and seven days, and patients attend therapeutic programming during their stay. Registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, and certified nursing assistants (CNAs) oversee the detox program, which also features medication-assisted treatment (MAT).

Learn More

Find out more about the geriatric inpatient program at Highland Ridge Hospital near Salt Lake City, UT

If you think that you or a loved one would benefit from the geriatric inpatient program at Highland Ridge Hospital near Salt Lake City, Utah, please contact us today. Our helpful and knowledgeable staff is on hand to answer any questions you have and to provide guidance so that you can make the best decision for yourself or your loved one.

Highland Ridge's programs are unlike any other. They really know their stuff!

– Michelle E.