Programs | Geriatric Psychiatry

Our range of geriatric services include inpatient psychiatry, tertiary care, residential care, outpatient clinics, consultation liaison, and outreach. We consider patients, families and caregivers to be part of our team and invite their participation in care planning.

The interdisciplinary staff who work within these areas include family doctors, specialists including geriatric psychiatrists, and geriatricians, medical students, nurses, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, rehabilitation assistants, pharmacists, dieticians, pastoral care, and neuropsychologists.

Inpatient Geriatric Psychiatry

There are two geriatric units at Mount St. Joseph Hospital. “One South” is the 16 bed Geriatric Psychiatry Unit (GPU) for older adults with psychiatric illness such as depression, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder or dementia with psychosocial and behavioural symptoms. “Four East” is a 22 bed Geriatric Medicine Reactivation Unit that provides sub-acute medical care to older adults. Four beds are designated as shared care between Geriatric Medicine and Geriatric Psychiatry providing care to patients with psychiatric illness and medical concerns. 

Expected length of stay for our patients is between two to six weeks. During their stay, patients will be assessed by psychiatrists, family doctors, geriatricians, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, dieticians, pharmacists, social workers and nurses. A treatment plan including medications and non medication treatment such as behavioural approaches will be formulated prior to discharge. The goal of treatment is to assess, treat and stabilize patients before discharging them back home.

Referrals

Referrals are accepted onto a waitlist from community mental health teams, physicians and all hospitals in Vancouver Coastal Health.

Location

Geriatric Psychiatry Unit (GPU)
Mount Saint Joseph's Hospital
3080 Prince Edward Street
Vancouver, BC
Phone: 604-877-8159

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Tertiary Care

Parkview, a tertiary challenging behavioural inpatient unit located at Youville Residence, offers assessment and treatment of severe behaviours secondary to dementia and psychiatric disorders that are not responding to treatment. Patients can expect to be admitted for 6 to 18 months on this unit before discharge home or to a facility.

Referrals

Referrals are generated by all hospitals in Vancouver Coastal Health.

Location

Youville Residence
4950 Heather Street
Vancouver, B.C.
V5Z 3L9
Phone: 604-261-9371
Fax: 604-261-9047

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Residential Geriatric Psychiatric Care

Providence Health Care supports geriatric residential care at five of our sites. For our patients with psychiatric issues, we offer an assessment and design a treatment plan that may include medications, electroconvulsive therapy, support, education and behavioral approaches. Treatment is patient specific and requires involvement from caregivers and community treatment teams.

Geriatric psychiatrists provide consultation to all of the residential programs at Providence.

Referrals are made directly from the most responsible physician.

Locations

Youville Residence
4950 Heather Street
Vancouver, B.C.
V5Z 3L9
Phone: 604-261-9371
Fax: 604-261-9047

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Brock Fahrni Pavilion
4650 Oak Street
Vancouver, B.C.V6H 4J4
Phone: 604-806-9710
Fax: 604-806-9706

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Holy Family Residence
7801 Argyle Street
Vancouver, B.C.
V5P 3L6
Phone: 604-321-2661
General Fax: 604-321-6886
Admin Fax: 604-321-2696

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Mount Saint Joseph Hospital
3080 Prince Edward Street (off Kingsway)
Vancouver, BC, V5T 3N4
Main Switchboard: 604-874-1141

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Saint Vincent’s Langara
255 West 62nd Avenue
Vancouver, BC, V5X 4V4
Main Switchboard: 604-325-4116
Main Fax: 604-806-9756

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Elder Care Ambulatory Clinics

The Elder Care Ambulatory Clinics at MSJ and SPH offer outpatient geriatric psychiatric services for patients with dementia and psychiatric illness such as mood, anxiety and psychotic disorders.

Referrals accepted from physicians.

Geriatric Psychiatry Consultation & Liaison

Geriatric Psychiatry Consultation & Liaison is available at both St. Paul’s Hospital and Mount St. Joseph Hospital.

A referral can be made to Geriatric Psychiatry for assistance with:

  • Dementia and other cognitive problems with or without behavioral symptom
  • Anxiety
  • Depressive Disorders
  • Delusional Disorders
  • Delirium
  • Paranoia
  • Assessment and treatment of any client with psychiatric needs not meeting the mandate of their community mental health team

Referrals are accepted by the interdisciplinary team caring for the patient.

Geriatric Psychiatry Outreach Team

The Geriatric Psychiatry Outreach Team (GPOT) based out of St. Paul’s Hospital and Mount Saint Joseph Ambulatory Clinics is an interdisciplinary team caring for older adults who are living with psychiatric and addiction issues.

The team is made up of a geriatric psychiatrist, a psychiatric nurse clinician and geriatrician. Clients are connected to this team either through the Emergency Department, hospital admission or the community Mental Health Team.

Clients are seen either in the ambulatory clinics or in the community. GPOT is available Monday – Friday, 8:30 am – 4:30 pm and can be contacted for:

  • Outreach initial assessment and treatment recommendations
  • Assistance with transition from hospital to home and short term case management
  • Case management, short term and up to 2 years
  • Capability Assessment with short term case management
  • Individual and Group Therapy
  • Caregiver Support
  • Consultation, education and support

Inclusion Criteria

  • Dementia and other cognitive problems with or without behavioral symptoms
  • Anxiety
  • Depressive Disorders
  • Delusional Disorders
  • Delirium
  • Paranoia
  • Assessment and treatment of any client with psychiatric needs not meeting the mandate of their community mental health team