Seniors’ Mental Health Program

The Seniors’ Mental Health Program provides a continuum of specialized mental health services and education for seniors and their formal and informal caregivers across northeast Ontario.

The program provides assessment, intervention and support to assist individuals with age related mental health disorders to remain in the community (private home, long-term care home or retirement home) and to prevent psychiatric hospitalization where possible.

While most individuals receiving services from the program are over 65 years of age, services are also provided to those under 65 if they have an age related mental health issue.

PSYCHOGERIATRIC RESOURCE CONSULTANT (PRC)

The role of the Psychogeriatric Resource Consultant (PRC) is to support formal care providers in local long-term care homes, hospitals and community support agencies that provide care for older adults with neurocognitive disorders (dementia, delirium), other complex physical and mental health needs and associated responsive behaviours.

This dynamic inter-professional team engages care collaborators in current best practices, such as P.I.E.C.E.S., U-First, Gentle Persuasive Approach and Montessori Based Dementia Programming through indirect case consultation, knowledge exchange, capacity building and network development.

CONTACT: 1-855-BSO-NE13 (1-855-276-6313)

NORTHEAST BEHAVIOURAL SUPPORTS ONTARIO (BSO)

BSO provides enhanced services for older adults in Ontario with complex and responsive behaviours that may be a result of dementia, mental health, substance use, and/or other neurological disorders as well as offering enhanced support and coaching for their caregivers. Supported by the leadership of the North East Local Health Integration Network (NELHIN) and coordinated by North Bay Regional Health Centre (NBRHC), Behaviour Supports Ontario (BSO) is not a new program, but rather a system transformation which offers behavioural assessment & treatment, education, support and links to specialty care for:

• An older adult presenting with one or more of the above related criteria who is presenting with responsive behaviour(s);
• An adult with an age-related diagnosis who is presenting with responsive behaviours;
• An individual whose behaviour(s) is not effectively supported in their current care environment;
• Caregiver(s) of an older adult with responsive behaviours.
• A referral may be made on behalf of the older adult or caregiver by anybody; including the older adult, caregiver/Substitute Decision Maker, healthcare professionals, primary care and specialty care partners.

CONTACT: 1-855-BSO-NE13 (1-855-276-6313)

EVERGREEN LODGE & OAK LODGE (In-patient units)

The Seniors’ Mental Health in-patient units consists of two units:

Evergreen Lodge: 12-bed Regional Assessment & Treatment Unit located at 50 College Drive in North Bay. As the intake and assessment unit, it provides comprehensive specialized assessment and treatment for older adults with complex age related psychiatric needs. Older adults exhibiting any of a broad range of affective, cognitive, or behavioural symptoms (usually representing a significant negative change from their previous levels of functioning) may be considered for admission to this tertiary care regional service.

Oak Lodge: 18-bed Regional Dementia Care Unit located at 680 Kirkwood Drive in Sudbury. Older adults with complex responsive behaviours related to dementia may be admitted to the Regional Dementia Care Unit to complete their assessment, treatment and discharge planning.

CONTACT: 705-476-6240 ext. 6294

SENIORS’ MENTAL HEALTH – REGIONAL CONSULTATION SERVICE (SMH-RCS)

We provide community outreach consultation services to older adults (usually over the age of 65) residing in private homes, retirement homes or long-term care homes within the North Bay District. Consultation requests for in-depth assessments by our specialized team are initiated by family doctors/nurse practitioners. We provide mental health assessment, diagnosis, treatment recommendations and limited follow-up for older adults with late-onset mental illness. We collaborate with health care services and community support services and provide supportive education to older adults and family/caregivers. Our goal is to promote independence, with appropriate community support, in order to prevent hospitalization and optimize quality of life.

CONTACT: 705-494-3054

SENIORS’ MENTAL HEALTH INTEGRATED SERVICE (SMHIS)

We provide mental health assessments, diagnosis, treatment recommendations and limited follow-up to hospitalized older adults at the North Bay Regional Health Centre. We collaborate with other disciplines and nursing staff in order to limit the duration and severity of an episode of mental health illness while in hospital. We identify community supports and resources and assist with transition to the community.

We serve older adults who require further assessment and treatment of: cognition, mood, behavioural difficulties, delirium or other concerns related to a late onset mental illness.

CONTACT: 705-474-8600 ext. 3693