BEHAVIORAL MEDICINE INTERVENTIONS

Medicare now formally recognizes Behavioral Medicine Interventions for the treatment of a variety of medical disorders, outside of mental health issues. As of January 1, 2002 , Health and Behavior assessment and intervention services now apply to prevention, treatment or management of mental health issues associated with physical health problems.

Residents do not need to have a mental health diagnosis/disorder or display typical symptoms of anxiety, depression, or be acting out behaviorally to benefit from Behavioral Medicine Interventions.

Many of the relevant physical health diagnoses are prevalent in the nursing environment and are readily responsive to Behavior Medicine Interventions. They include but are not limited to:

Geriatric Counseling, Inc.’s Behavior Health Interventions can significantly increase patient comfort as they learn more effective coping techniques. Treatment enhances self-esteem and reduces anxiety, leading to an increased sense of personal well-being. This in turn reduces their need for caregiver’s attention, develops cooperation, improves patient comfort and reduces Resident irritability.

Behavior Medicine Interventions speed medical recovery of the physical disorder(s) in addition to giving a sense of being able to personally improve their results of treatment.

GCI’s psychologists will address a wide range of physical health issues such as patient adherence to medical treatment, symptom management, health-promoting behaviors, health-related risk-taking behaviors, and overall adjustment to physical illness.

With the availability of clinical psychologists providing Health and Behavior Interventions, services will focus on residents whose primary diagnosis is physical in nature.