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Geriatric Psychiatry in Los Angeles, California

At Ocean View Psychiatric Health Facility, we provide acute psychiatric care for older adults. Our expert team ensures safety and understanding through our treatment options, including inpatient psychiatric care, partial hospitalization program (PHP), and outpatient care, to support your continued journey to wellness. 

Insurance and Payment Options

Ocean View Psychiatric Health Facility accepts most major insurance providers, including Medicare and private insurance plans such as Aetna. We do not accept Medicaid. Our admissions team is available 24/7 to verify your plan’s benefits and help you take the next step. We also accept private pay.
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Compassionate Psychiatric Stabilization and Support for Older Adults

Aging brings wisdom, experience, and perspective – but it can also come with emotional, physical, and cognitive challenges. At Ocean View Psychiatric Health Facility, we support older adults through specialized geriatric psychiatry in Los Angeles designed to stabilize symptoms, improve safety, and promote quality of life. We recognize the unique needs of seniors and offer a structured, compassionate setting where healing can begin.

Getting Started Is Easy

Step 1:
Contact a
Representative

Call to speak with an Ocean View representative. Alternatively, you can visit our website to chat or contact one of our admissions team members via email.

Step 2:
Verify
Insurance

When you speak with one of our admission team members, you will answer a few questions while they verify your insurance.

Step 3:
Schedule
Admission

Once your insurance is approved, we will determine if you require acute psychiatric care and schedule your admission. 

How Our Program Differs

We know you’re different from anyone else. Because of this, we offer acute mental health care that meets your unique needs. With your input, we build partnerships with medical and behavioral health services so you can transition from us to your daily life. We do this by providing comprehensive mental health services accessible to everyone. 

  • On-Site Team of Psychiatrists: Our on-site psychiatrists provide medication stabilization, monitoring, and management. Your well-being is vital throughout your stay in our inpatient mental health crisis facility and our outpatient services. 
  • Case Management & Aftercare Support: Case management begins when you’re admitted to either our inpatient or outpatient program. Our case managers and social workers ensure you have a safe place to go, whether that’s housing or a facility, once you leave us.
  • Transportation Coordination Provided: We offer transportation services coordinated with a trusted provider that takes you to and from inpatient intake, discharge destinations, as well as transportation to/from our on-site outpatient programs. *Transportation is provided to patients within a 50-mile radius
  • Stabilization for Managing Psychiatric Symptoms: Ocean View provides 24/7 inpatient psychiatric care. We also have outpatient treatment programs.
  • Patient Resource Network: Transitioning from inpatient or outpatient treatment can be overwhelming. That’s why we have an opt-in patient follow-up option. You don’t have to manage your symptoms alone.

We would love to help.

Call to speak with an Ocean View representative.

Understanding the Connection Between Aging, Stress, and Mental Health

Older adults often experience stress in ways that directly affect their physical and emotional health. Chronic stress may contribute to:
  • Headaches, muscle tension, or chronic pain
  • Cardiovascular issues (e.g., high blood pressure, heart disease)
  • Digestive problems or nausea
  • Breathing difficulties, including asthma
  • Sleep disturbance or fatigue
  • Increased inflammation and immune system decline
  • Worsening of chronic conditions like arthritis or diabetes
Common life stressors for seniors include:
  • Caregiving responsibilities
  • Grief and loss
  • Loneliness or isolation
  • Chronic illness or disability
  • Retirement or housing transitions
  • Financial strain
These stressors can lead to or worsen mental health conditions like depression, anxiety disorders, mood disorders like bipolar disorder, or cognitive decline.

The Importance of Early Intervention

Early psychiatric support can significantly improve outcomes in older adults. Psychoeducation and psychiatric stabilization may reduce depressive symptoms by up to 25% within the first year. Timely, appropriate care allows older adults to regain control and prevent further decline.

Ocean View’s Approach to Geriatric Psychiatry in Los Angeles

Our psychiatric health facility is designed to be accessible and age-friendly, offering:
  • ADA-compliant spaces for patients using wheelchairs or walkers
  • Treatment plans tailored to cognitive and physical functioning
  • Group therapy based on acuity and cognitive compatibility
  • A supportive, respectful environment where older adults feel safe and understood

What to Expect: Assessment, Stabilization & Support

Every senior admitted to Ocean View receives a comprehensive geriatric assessment that considers physical, emotional, cognitive, and medication-related needs. Based on this evaluation, our team develops a treatment plan focused on:

  • Medication stabilization and psychiatric oversight
  • Symptom reduction and safety planning
  • Therapeutic recreation and group engagement
  • One-on-one support from social workers and psychiatrists
  • A clear discharge plan and follow-up coordination
Our medical team works closely with referring providers and, as applicable, caregivers to ensure continuity of care.

Contact Us Now

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Levels of Care for Older Adults

Our geriatric psychiatry in Los Angeles includes multiple levels of care, tailored to the needs of geriatric patients experiencing acute psychiatric symptoms or chronic emotional stress.

Inpatient Psychiatric Care

Designed for seniors experiencing acute symptoms, this level of care includes:
  • Licensed psychiatric care
  • 24/7 nursing and monitoring
  • 6 daily group sessions
  • Psychoeducational groups that focus on understanding mental health disorders and their symptoms
  • Therapeutic recreation to develop skills that help you find inner peace (art, painting, music, and animals/pets)
  • Coping skills development to help with symptom management and quieting negative thoughts or feelings
  • Patients are placed in groups based on the severity of their symptoms
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Medication Stabilization

Medication management is a key part of our inpatient crisis stabilization, where medications are carefully reviewed and prescribed based on each individual’s medical history, needs, and potential side effects. If a patient is experiencing agitation or other symptoms, appropriate medications may be used to help manage these issues safely. Continuous monitoring allows our healthcare team to make adjustments as needed to ensure optimal care and safety throughout treatment.

Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP)

After inpatient care or as an alternative for those who are stable but still require structure, our PHP provides intensive support during the day while allowing patients to return home in the evening. 

PHP includes:
  • Four group sessions a day that meet five days a week
  • Sessions that include a psychoeducational group led by a social worker and a therapeutic recreation support session led by a recreation therapist
  • Case management
  • Snacks and lunch
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Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP)

Our IOP is designed to help individuals reintegrate into daily life while maintaining support. With a flexible schedule, IOP allows you to work, attend school, or manage home responsibilities while continuing treatment in an intensive treatment program.

Our IOP includes:
  • Focused coping skills
  • Community reintegration

Continued Medication Management Support With Our PHP and IOP

After your acute psychosis symptoms and medication are stabilized, you will transition to a lower level of care, and you will receive medication management services. Both our PHP and IOP provide continued medication management under the care of our psychiatric team.

Specialized Support for Cognitive and Emotional Challenges

Depression in Older Adults

Older adults often experience depression due to loss of family members or friends, isolation, or physical decline. Common signs include:

  • Loss of interest or energy
  • Feelings of hopelessness or worthlessness
  • Sleep and appetite changes
  • Physical complaints without a clear cause
  • Irritability or agitation
  • Thoughts of self-harm or suicide

Memory Care and Cognitive Decline

We support patients experiencing symptoms of dementia or Alzheimer’s through:
  • Medication stabilization to reduce behavioral and cognitive symptoms
  • Environmental structure and emotional reassurance
  • Group placement based on cognitive functioning
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Safe Medication Management for Older Adults

Our psychiatrists and medical team have years of experience in prescribing medications for older adults, considering:
  • Medication history and potential interactions
  • Symptom response and side effects
  • Daily monitoring and dosage adjustments as needed
  • Coordination with outside providers and caregivers

Improving Quality of Life in Later Years

Mental wellness is essential at every age. At Ocean View, we support seniors in:
  • Identifying triggers and stress responses
  • Building new coping skills
  • Re-establishing routines
  • Reconnecting with meaning and community
  • Preparing for a supported transition back home or to outpatient care

FAQs

What is the age group for geriatric care?

A certain age doesn’t determine geriatric care; instead, it is determined by an individual’s needs. It is essential to understand and recognize the individual needs of older adults as they age. Many programs use 65+ as a common threshold, but people younger or older may need geriatric services depending on medical, cognitive, or functional concerns. Geriatric care often involves multidisciplinary teams to address complex interactions between medical conditions, medications, and mental health. Families and caregivers are encouraged to discuss concerns with primary care providers to determine if specialized geriatric evaluation is appropriate.

No, it’s never too late to reach out to a mental health provider for psychotherapy or other forms of mental health therapy. Older adults can benefit from therapies adapted for later life, including cognitive-behavioral therapy, reminiscence therapy, and supportive counseling. Therapy can improve mood, coping skills, social engagement, and management of chronic illness, often enhancing overall quality of life. Barriers such as mobility, transportation, or sensory deficits can be addressed with telehealth, home-based care, or accessibility accommodations.

A majority of older adults diagnosed with a mental health disorder are diagnosed with depression, which often occurs with anxiety. Depression in late life may present differently, with more somatic complaints, cognitive slowing, or withdrawal rather than overt sadness. It is frequently underdiagnosed because symptoms can overlap with medical conditions or medication side effects. Early recognition and treatment are important, as depression in older adults responds well to psychotherapy, medication, and combined approaches.

Seniors, usually 65 or older, should see a board-certified geriatric psychiatrist. Geriatric psychiatrists have specialized training and board certification in the mental health needs of older adults. Individuals with complex psychiatric symptoms, multiple medical comorbidities, polypharmacy concerns, cognitive decline, or treatment-resistant conditions particularly benefit from geriatric psychiatric expertise. They collaborate with primary care, neurology, and social services to provide holistic, age-appropriate care and minimize medication-related risks.

Older adults who are experiencing mental health conditions like depression, schizophrenia, anxiety, behavioral disturbances, or cognitive impairment should seek or be referred to geriatric care. Referral is also warranted when there are concerns about medication interactions, frequent hospitalizations, functional decline, caregiver strain, or safety risks such as falls or self-neglect. Early referral can help optimize treatment, coordinate community supports, and plan for long-term care needs.

We would love to help.