Geriatric Psychiatry

The Geriatric Psychiatry Program of the Royal Ottawa Health Care Group (ROHCG) provides a comprehensive range of services to meet the mental health needs of adults 65 years of age and over.  Patients must have a referral from their physician.

Working together with families, primary care physicians, community psychiatrists and community agencies, our staff helps individuals improve the quality of their life and achieve their optimal level of functioning.

Services are provided in English and French by a multi-disciplinary team of professionals.  The Geriatric Program includes Ambulatory Care, Outreach Services, Day Hospital, as well as an Inpatient Unit in Ottawa.

Ambulatory Care Service

The Geriatric Ambulatory Care Service is a consultation service offering professional advice and psychiatric expertise from a multidisciplinary team to the referring primary care physicians and psychiatrists.  Follow-up treatment including group treatment may be offered for selected cases.

Outreach Service

Ottawa

The Geriatric Outreach service of Ottawa has been developed to meet the mental health needs of long-term care residents and to assist administrators, physicians, and direct care staff of long-term care facilities.

A geriatric psychiatrist and outreach nurse based at the ROMHC, provide on-site assessments, recommendations and follow-up for the implementation of treatment recommendations.  Case-based learning and formal teaching programs tailored to meet the educational needs of the long-term care staff are also provided.

Rural

Geriatric psychiatrists from the ROMHC also travel to the rural geriatric mental health outreach teams providing services to elderly patients wherever they reside (home, retirement homes, long-term care facilities, hospitals): 

• Renfrew County Geriatric Mental Health Outreach services;
• Tri-County Mental Health Services Geriatric team;
• Lanark County Geriatric Mental Health Outreach services; and
• Brockville Mental Health Centre Geriatric Mental Health Community team.

All teams provide consultation to primary care physicians and psychiatrists, as well as comprehensive geriatric assessments and a period of follow-up when required for selected cases.

Day Hospital

The Geriatric Psychiatry Day Hospital provides day treatment and crisis intervention for persons who require urgent and intensive treatment, but can live safely in the community.  This service can accommodate a total of 45 participants in the English and French components of the program.

The Geriatric Psychiatry Day Hospital provides assessment as well as individual and group treatment.  The group process provides the basic structure of daily programming.  The average length of stay for patients is approximately 12 to 16 weeks.

Ottawa Inpatient Service

Patients with severe, multiple and/or complex psychiatric illnesses may be admitted to this ?-bed geriatric psychiatry unit for specialized treatment.  Patients have been evaluated by a geriatric psychiatrist either in a community clinic, a long-term care facility or a hospital prior to admission. This service is a resource for the entire Champlain LHIN. Length of stay is approximately 4 to 6 weeks.   

Contact Information
Geriatric Program, Intake,
Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centrel, 1145 Carling Avenue, Ottawa, Ontario K1Z 7K4
Tel (613) 722-6521 ext 6507 / Fax: (613) 798-2999
Visit http://www.rohcg.on.ca for more information.