Psychotherapy in Nursing Homes
Identifying residents’ cognitive status on the Minimum Data Set (MDS) can help increase the Medicare Patient Driven Payment Model (PDPM) rates for your facility.
The PDPM is the Medicare payment rule that calls for improved payment accuracy and focuses on residents’ individual needs, characteristics, and goals to promote a more patient-driven care model.
For example, a resident with cognitive impairment will require more resources. The Brief Interview for Mental Status (BIMS) assesses the resident’s cognitive status. Low scores suggest cognitive impairment and potential conditions that may need to be diagnosed by a psychologist, such as dementia. Understanding a resident’s cognitive status is crucial to determining the care plan, as well as the revenue needed to provide the appropriate care for that resident. By screening residents using the BIMS, facilities can be paid more as they discover what treatment is required for residents.
Within the MDS, section GG calculates a resident’s capacity for self-care and mobility performance. Completing the BIMS can help better fulfill section GG and determine the overall status of residents which can also be referenced when determining costs for that resident and their treatment.
Ultimately, getting residents screened and tested through BIMS scores can greatly help both your residents and your facility. Identifying the BIMS scores of your residents allows your facility to appropriately provide them with the assistance they need. Additionally, it can lower the administrative burden and increase payments from residents’ insurance.
Combating Isolation & Loneliness
Psychotherapy in nursing homes often focuses on feelings of being disconnected from family or the world beyond the walls of a skilled nursing facility. Well-trained psychologists are adept at creating a safe space in which people can process these emotions and develop coping mechanisms to foster a sense of connection and belonging.
Adjusting to a New Environment
Moving to a nursing home is a significant life change. Mental and emotional muscles will likely be taxed in ways they haven’t been before. Psychotherapy can be a useful forum to take stock of one’s inner life. From there, therapists can help residents adapt to their new environment, explore new relationships, and work toward a positive understanding of their new life situation.
Maintaining Cognitive Function
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is a psychotherapy modality that often finds success. CBT is about examining thought patterns, identifying unhelpful ones, and working to re-route our responses to the world. CBT can stimulate mental engagement, potentially slowing cognitive decline and helping residents maintain a sense of autonomy.
Managing Stress Due to Illness
Many residents of SKF/nursing homes live with chronic illness of one kind or another. Such chronic conditions can leave people feeling overwhelmed by irritation and pain, uncertainty and dependency. Psychotherapy provides tools to re-frame one’s reaction to the realities of long-term illness, resulting in less stress and an overall improvement in quality of life.
Fostering Relationships & Communication
Family dynamics can shift dramatically when a loved one enters a nursing home. Psychotherapy can facilitate better communication, helping residents and their families navigate these changes with empathy and understanding.
Our psychologists aim to be neutral sounding boards for the concerns and feelings of both nursing home residents and family members. By encouraging everyone to share their perspective, psychologists make all parties feel heard and then begin the process of bringing challenges and opportunities to light to help foster more positive relationship and communication dynamics.
Pacific Coast Psychology Provides Psychotherapy in Nursing Homes
Psychotherapy can be a game-changer for residents in nursing homes. Life in a nursing home comes with a mix of adjustments—some welcome, others less so. Psychotherapy provides a space to navigate these changes with compassion and care.
At Pacific Coast Psychology, we have partnered with dozens of skilled nursing facilities across California, offering effective mental health solutions that address the complex needs of both residents and staff.
Interested in learning more? Reach out for a consultation today, and let us help your facility thrive.