Lower Bucks Hospital stands as a vital resource for individuals and families navigating the complexities of mental health challenges. With a steadfast commitment to holistic well-being, the hospital offers a comprehensive suite of behavioral health services, including dedicated Adult Behavioral Health and Senior Behavioral Health units, designed to provide specialized, compassionate, and effective care.
Adult Behavioral Health: A Foundation for Healing and Recovery
The Adult Behavioral Health Unit at Lower Bucks Hospital is a 27-bed inpatient facility dedicated to serving adults who require a short, intensive stay for behavioral health treatment. This unit addresses a wide spectrum of conditions, including but not limited to depression, psychosis, bipolar disorder, anxiety, and various behavioral problems. The multidisciplinary team comprises experienced psychiatrists, social workers, registered nurses, mental behavioral health technicians, and therapists, all working collaboratively to provide individualized care.
A core patient of the Adult Behavioral Health program is empowerment through education. Patients and their families receive vital information to better understand their conditions, develop healthier coping mechanisms, and establish a robust, safe, and secure follow-up plan for post-discharge care.
Treatment Services within the Adult Behavioral Health Unit include:
- 24-hour monitoring and supervision: Ensuring patient safety and immediate response to any needs.
- Diagnostic assessment and evaluation: Accurate identification of conditions to guide effective treatment.
- One-on-One visits with a psychiatrist: Personalized care and medication management.
- Stabilization and management of medications: Optimizing pharmacological interventions.
- Individual, Group, and Activity Therapies: Fostering self-discovery, social interaction, and healthy coping strategies.
- Management of medical needs and issues: Addressing co-occurring physical health concerns.
- Patient and family education: Equipping patients and their support networks with vital knowledge.
- Assistance with discharge and aftercare planning: Ensuring a smooth transition back into the community.
When to Seek Help:
Lower Bucks Hospital can provide crucial support if you or a loved one are experiencing any of the following:
* Harm to self and/or suicidal thoughts
* Threat to others (including physical and/or verbal aggression)
* Increased aggressiveness, upsetting behavior, and/or agitation
* Mood problems
* Psychotic symptoms (hallucinations)
* Changes in thought processes
* Recent weight loss, sleep disturbances, and/or social isolation
The Behavioral Health Crisis Center:
For immediate assessment and recommendations, the Behavioral Health Crisis Center is conveniently located within the hospital's Emergency Department. This center facilitates admissions to the inpatient units and provides a critical first point of contact for individuals in need.
Seamless Admissions:
Referrals for admission to the Adult Behavioral Health Unit are accepted 24 hours a day from a variety of sources, including physicians, home health or social service agencies, other facilities, and directly from home/residence.
Senior Behavioral Health: Specialized Care for an Aging Population
Recognizing the unique mental health needs of older adults, Lower Bucks Hospital offers the Senior Behavioral Health Unit (SBHU). This 18-bed inpatient unit provides specialized care for seniors who voluntarily seek behavioral health services requiring a short inpatient stay. The SBHU addresses conditions such as psychosis, bipolar disorder, anxiety, acute psychiatric symptoms, or an exacerbation of chronic mental illness leading to harmful behaviors. Importantly, the unit also offers treatment for those with co-occurring substance abuse disorders secondary to a psychiatric diagnosis, though it is not a detox unit.
As bodies and minds change with age, seniors face an increased risk of mental health challenges, including clinical depression and memory impairment. The good news is that these conditions are often treatable and manageable with specialized care. The skilled clinical staff at Lower Bucks Hospital’s SBHU provides hope and healing, focusing on empowering patients and families to better manage conditions, develop healthier coping skills, and create a safe and secure follow-up plan for ongoing recovery post-discharge.
Senior Behavioral Health Program offers patients:
- Individual and Family Therapy: Addressing personal challenges and strengthening family support systems.
- Group Activity Therapy: Encouraging social interaction, engagement, and shared experiences.
- Anger and Stress Coping Skills: Developing healthy strategies for emotional regulation.
- Medication Education: Understanding and managing prescribed medications effectively.
- Family Education: Providing families with the tools and knowledge to support their loved ones.
Indicators for Senior Behavioral Health:
The SBHU is appropriate if you or a loved one is experiencing an escalation or worsening of ongoing symptoms related to:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Agitation or aggression
- Disordered thinking
- Change in sleep habits
- Poor adjustment to change
- Wanting to harm others
- Lack of attention to personal hygiene
- Increased fear of being alone
- Grief (not adjusting to the loss of a loved one)
- Change in enjoyment and participation in daily activities
The Dedicated Senior Behavioral Health Team:
A multidisciplinary team leads the Senior Behavioral Health program, meeting daily with patients to ensure comprehensive and coordinated care. This team includes:
- Psychiatrists: With extensive experience and expertise in geriatric psychiatry, neurology, and internal medicine.
- Social Workers: Providing individual and group sessions, family counseling, and meticulous discharge planning.
- Registered Nurses: Assessing, monitoring, and evaluating treatments and medications, alongside providing education on nutrition and medication.
- Therapists: Leading individual and group experiences utilizing art and music to encourage healthy emotional expression and identify leisure skills for regaining a healthy lifestyle.
- Mental Health Technicians: Assisting with basic care needs and providing crucial support to help patients achieve therapeutic goals.
Referral Process for Behavioral Health:
Referrals for the Behavioral Health Units may need to go through the Emergency Department for medical clearance and crisis evaluation, ensuring that all aspects of the patient's health are considered.
Accessing Care and Support
Lower Bucks Hospital is dedicated to providing timely and accessible behavioral health services. For more information or admissions, 24 hours a day, please call 267-229-3890.
Behavioral Health Community Liaison:
Phone: 215-785-9033
Fax: 215-785-9091 or 218-785-9228
Lower Bucks Hospital, 501 Bath Road, Bristol, PA 19007,
*For psychiatric emergencies, please go to your nearest emergency room or dial 911.
Lower Bucks Hospital remains a beacon of hope, offering expert, empathetic, and comprehensive behavioral health services for adults and seniors in the community. Through its dedicated units, skilled professionals, and commitment to patient and family education, the hospital continues to make a profound difference in the lives of those seeking healing and recovery.