It is very difficult to watch someone you love suffer. In today’s world, however, it seems that the number of mental health issues are escalating, and more and more families are struggling to find a way to help their loved ones find ways to cope. If a typical mental healthcare center has not been able to support your loved one, you might be looking for one of the neuropsychiatry programs in this country that can provide you hope.
Nursing facilities, hospital emergency rooms, and assisted livings across the U.S. provide varying levels of neuropsychiatry programs, so it is important that if you have a loved one who needs special care you pay careful attention to what each facility offers.
Take anxiety as an example. Nearly 15 million people suffer from anxiety in social situations. And, while this condition is treatable through therapy and medication, nearly 66% of the adults with an anxiety disorder never receive treatment. Unfortunately, the group that receives in less treatment for anxiety is teenagers. For this age, only 20% of them receive the care they need. Alarming statistics if you are the parent, grandparent, or spouse of someone who suffers from any type of anxiety.
Another mental health condition that requires special treatment is Alzheimer’s. Even though nearly 5.3 million Americans had Alzheimer’s disease in 2015, fewer than half of those people or their caregivers were told of the diagnosis. When you realize that someone in the U.S. develops Alzheimer’s every 67 seconds, it is scary to think that these fragile people may not always have access to the care that they need. Almost 33% of the senior citizens in our country die with either Alzheimer’s or dementia. If their caregivers are not familiar with the best neuropsychiatry programs recommendations, these Alzheimer’s patients may struggle more than they need to.
Fortunately, a neuropsychiatric evaluation can identify many conditions. If, for example, Alzheimer’s is diagnosed, that patient’s family members can be trained in ways to keep the patient less agitated. Knowing of the diagnosis, for example, can let the family know that arguing or countering a loved one’s memory is not only unnecessary, but can make that person more combative. Other patients with a neuropsychiatric condition can also suffer more than necessary if they and their caregivers do not understand the condition.
An experienced neuropsychiatric hospital will take an innovative approach to neuropsychiatric care for teenagers, as well as the geriatric and adult population. Unlike hospitals who are completely psychiatric-based, neuropsychiatric doctors can train and instruct staff in specialized care techniques. These hospitals use an interdisciplinary team of medical doctors working along side psychiatrists, neurologists, and psychologists to evaluate chronic behaviors, and suggest medical or therapeutic treatments.
