Teletherapy Services Provide At-Home Care for Seniors Experiencing Depression,
Anxiety, or Loneliness
MONTICELLO, IL – Kirby Senior Life Solutions, an intensive outpatient
group therapy program for seniors, successfully made the transition to
providing services remotely due to COVID-19 safety precautions. Senior
Life Solutions began offering teletherapy to its patients on April 6 allowing
them to receive the care they need while remaining safe and secure at home.
Teletherapy services are provided via telephone or computer by a licensed
professional counselor. After an initial assessment, Senior Life Solutions
individualizes a care plan for each patient where they meet up to three
times per week in an encouraging, supportive setting. All Senior Life
Solutions services are confidential and HIPAA compliant.
Ryan Hastings, Program Director for Kirby Senior Life Solutions, said “Our
new teletherapy services allow our patients to continue to reap the benefits
of group and individual therapy but from the safety of their homes. During
a group session, we all dial in on the phone or log in from a computer
at the same time, and each patient has the opportunity to form a bond
and sometimes even friendship with other members in the group who are
experiencing similar life changes.”
The program is managed by a national behavioral healthcare management company,
Psychiatric Medical Care (PMC), and was able to move so quickly to a remote
environment as a result of PMC’s previous investment in telehealth
services. Senior Life Solutions has incorporated telehealth into its care
model for more than a decade.
Other Senior Life Solutions staff includes a board-certified psychiatrist,
licensed social workers, and a registered nurse, dedicated to the emotional
well-being of the seniors in the community. Individuals may benefit from
the program if they are experiencing symptoms of age-related depression
or anxiety, dealing with difficult life transitions, a recent health diagnosis,
or the loss of a loved one.
Hastings added, “It is wonderful being part of a program that improves
the quality of life for such a vulnerable population in our community,
and emotional health services are needed more than ever during these difficult
times.”
Referrals to the program can be made by anyone, including a patient’s
physician, family member, self-referral, or another healthcare professional.
For more information, call (217) 817-8525 or visit
https://www.kirbyhealth.org/services/senior-life-solutions/