Geriatric Psychiatry Program
Manager: Victoria Madsen
Medical Head of Service: Dr. Karen Saperson
General Information
The geriatric psychiatric population has a wide range of characteristics, and services designed to meet their specific needs. As endorsed by the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care, the populations to be served by this specialty geriatric service are those older individuals with:- Behavioural and mental health problems associated with cognitive impairment
- Late onset psychiatric illness
- Longstanding psychiatric disorders with age-complicated dysfunction
- Medical and functional impairment with associated psychiatric and behavioural dysfunction
- Alcohol and substance misuse
- Families/caregivers who provide care
Functions of the program include the following:
- Inpatient care and treatment
- Outreach services
- Education of care-providers
- Research, advocacy and policy development
The program is an integral part of the academic Division of Geriatric Psychiatry at McMaster University and acts as a resource for provincial and national policy development in health service delivery for this population.
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Components of Service
Inpatient Services
Geriatric Psychiatry inpatient unit serving those individuals with severe mental illness, i.e. those with dementia and associated behaviour and mental health needs and their families/caregivers.Outpatient & Outreach Services
- Brant Geriatric Mental Health Outreach Program
- Niagara Geriatric Mental Health Outreach Program
- Halton Geriatric Mental Health Outreach Program
- Collaborative outreach, day hospital and outpatient geriatric Program at St. Joseph's King Campus. (Health for Older Adults Program- HOAP).
The Program continues to increase its ability to be used as a resource for caregivers of family members with dementia and severe mental illness. It works with other specialty services to improve emergency responsiveness to this population. In addition, the program continues to work together with St. Joseph's King Campus and the Hamilton Health Sciences/St. Peter's Chronic Care Hospital to provide a regional specialty service to determine how best to serve the needs of this population. Collectively, they work to enhance and support the primary system.
The Geriatric Psychiatry Program has participated in active sharing of human resources and development of service agreements and partnerships. It continues its collaborative projects with agencies, the hospital community, and the long-term care sectors. The Halton Geriatric Outreach Program has the lead role to develop a cohesive network of community partners through a program of community development and outreach. The Team is working out of Allendale (a Long-Term Care facility in Milton).
The Program is also a key partner in Hamilton where they are piloting the BUS (Behavioural Urgent Support) Program. This project was aimed at providing a mechanism to match services to needs both in the community and in facilities with the idea of maintaining individuals in their residences to minimize dislocation. As a result of the positive outcomes achieved from the BUS pilot project, a change in policy occurred within the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care's High Intensity Needs Program. Funds are now available to assist long-term care facilities to manage residents with high-risk behaviours, and help maintain them in their place of residence.
How to access services
Brant County: 519-752-3636Halton Region: Milton Office: 905-693-9370
Burlington Office: 905-631-1939
Niagara Region: 905-704-4068
HOAP: 905-573-4818
Inpatient Unit (A1): 905-522-1155 ext. 36438
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About the Team
The outreach teams are multidisciplinary with training in:- Geriatric psychiatry/medicine
- Nursing
- Social work
- Occupational therapy
- Psychology
- Education
Helpful Links...
P.I.E.C.E.S.Ontario PsychoGeriatric Association
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Education
The Geriatric Psychiatry Service plays a major role in education in Central South Region and throughout the province. The service works collaboratively with its partners to enhance knowledge and skills in treating mental illness in the geriatric population.A variety of academic learners have experienced placements with the service. These disciplines include nursing, psychiatry, medicine, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, recreation/activationists and business administration. Accommodations for student placements are made throughout the components of this service as academic placements are high priority in this service.
Other education initiatives include:
Collaborative development of both care providers and clinicians in their agencies with regards to sensitivities and responsiveness to the elderly (Victorian Order of Nurses, Community Care Access Centres (CCAC), Canadian Mental Health Association CMHA, local Alzheimer's Society, etc.)The teams regularly sponsor and facilitate educational courses for development of skill and knowledge. This service is an integral part of the provincial P.I.E.C.E.S. educational initiative.
Family Physicians: several educational strategies are undertaken within Central South Region and throughout the province and include use of small group, problem-based learning and use of the internet:
for example: Geriatric TIPS project: (Pilot project serving General Practitioners in Niagara and Halton Region): This was a service designed to provide information and advice regarding issues in care of the elderly. The service was provided through fax and email by a group of geriatric specialists.
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Research
The primary focus of the research undertaken within the Geriatric Psychiatry Service involves the evaluation of programs and services for older individuals with cognitive/mental health problems and associated behaviours. The overall goals of these efforts are to enhance the quality of care provided within the program and enhance quality of life among the clients served and their caregivers.Current Research Grants
The following table summarizes the current research grants awarded to members of the Geriatric Psychiatry Service, as well as proposals that have been submitted for funding.Note: Only those investigators associated with the Geriatric Psychiatry Service have been listed.
Investigator(s)
Project Title
Time Frame
McAiney, C.A.
(Principal Investigator)
Evaluation of Ontario's Strategy for Alzheimer Disease and Related Dementias
2001 - 2004
McAiney, C.A.
(Principal Investigator)
Evaluation of the Enhancing Care Program in the Adult Day Program Setting Pilot Project
2001-2002
McAiney, C.A.
(Principal Investigator)
Evaluation of the Advance Care Planning Education Project
2001-2002
McAiney, C.A.
(Co-Investigator)
Assessing End of Life Care Needs in Long-Term Care Facilities
2001 - 2002
Madsen, V. & McAiney, C.A. (Co-Investigators)
"Putting the PIECES Together" Training Initiative for Long-Term Care Facilities and CCACs.
2001 - 2002
Saperson, K.
(Co-Investigator)
Development, Implementation and Evaluation of a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Program for the Depressed Elderly
2001 - 2002
Lam, D.
(Principal Investigator)
Saperson, K.
(Co-Investigator)
The Docosahexaenoic Acid Content of RBC Membranes in Depressed Older Adults
Submitted for funding 2002
Saperson, K.
(Co-Investigator)
A Multidisciplinary Collaborative Program for Evaluation & Development of rTMS, A Novel Treatment for Mood Disorder. Special Initiatives Grant, Ontario
Submitted for funding 2002
J. Baxter, F. Knight, D. Lam, K. Saperson, P. Bieling
Developing Capacity for Enhanced Treatment Options for Seniors with Moderate to Severe Depression
2003-2005
C. McAiney, M. O'Brien, J. Baxter, V. Madsen
Improving Complaince with Recommendations made by Specialized Geriatric Services
2003-2005
M. Penko
Proposal for the Development and Pilot Evaluaton of an Educational Program to Train Long Term Care Front-Line Staff in the Management of Catastrophic Behaviour Associated with Dementia
2003-2005
Other Research Activities
Members of the Geriatric Psychiatry Service are also involved in a number of other research activities. Many of these activities focus on examining innovative approaches to improving care for the population served. The following table provides a summary of these activities.Investigator(s)
Project Title
Time Frame
McAiney, C.A.
(Principal Investigator)
Madsen, V.
(Co-Investigator)
Service Impact Survey: Halton Outreach, Brant Outreach, Niagara Outreach, Geriatric Psychiatry In-Patient Unit
2002
Allen, J., Madsen, V., Simons, S., Hinshelwood, D., McAiney, C.A.
(Co-Investigators)
Implementation and Evaluation of an Initiative to Further Enhance Individualized Care on the Geriatric Psychiatry In-Patient Unit
2002
Elgamal, S.
(Principal Investigator) & Saperson, K.
(Co-Investigator)
The effect of antidepressant treatment on cytokine levels in depressed elderly patients.
2002
McAiney, C.A. & Tassonyi, A.
(Co-Investigators)
Assessing the Prevalence of Delirium among Hospitalized Elderly Patients
2001 - 2002
Hinshelwood, D.
(Principal Investigator)
Assessing the Impact of a Sensory Relaxation Program on Agitation among Individuals with Dementia
2001 - 2002
McAiney, C.A.
(Principal Investigator)
Baxter, J.
Improving our Service: Feedback from Long-Term Care Facilities regarding the Halton Geriatric Mental Health Outreach Program
2001 - 2002
Saperson, K. & Hillen, J.
(Co-Investigators)
Evaluation of the Positive Actions and Attitudes Program for Depressed Elderly Individuals
2001 - 2002
Service initiative with Family Physicians on the internet:
Evaluation of health care services, and clinical research (geriatric psychiatry) in areas of mood, psychotic disorders and dementia.In collaboration with the Mood Disorders Program, an infrastructure of research and education has been developed within the region, enhancing the profile of the Geriatric Psychiatry Service. A database has been developed to monitor and evaluate the impact of the outreach services.
Evaluation of education and development strategies with community partners.
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