Category: Lindner Center of HOPE

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November, 2014—For many people, the comfortable fall air marks the end of daylight savings time and the start of a busy holiday season. However, the dark reality of less daylight, the approaching winter months, and heightened holiday stress can lead to depression.

According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, nearly six out of 100 people in the U.S. experience winter depression or Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Research shows it is more common for those living in areas where winter days are very short. Common symptoms include a change in appetite, weight gain, fatigue, tendency to oversleep, irritability and avoidance of social situations. Researchers believe the lack of bright light during winter makes a difference on brain chemistry.

A study published in the Archives of General Psychiatry cites researchers from the University of Toronto, who performed brain scans on 88 healthy people over the course of a year. The scans showed that the serotonin system fluctuates in activity based on the season. The lowest levels of activity tend to be in the fall and winter, suggesting that less serotonin circulates in the brain during the darker, colder time of the year. The researchers believe that the serotonin levels may help explain why people have a change in mood and behavior during the darker seasons.

According to Dr. John Hawkins, Chief of Psychiatry and Deputy Chief of Research for Lindner Center of HOPE, “Many people develop cabin fever during the winter months. Individuals may find themselves eating more or sleeping more when the temperature drops and days offer less light.” These reactions are common and normal due to the change in season, however, people with SAD experience a much more serious reaction when summer shifts to fall and on to winter, he says. “Those at risk may have feelings of depression, lethargy, fatigue and other problems. If the symptoms are severely impairing daily life, they should be taken seriously and professional help should be considered.”

According to Dr. Hawkins, treatments such as light therapy or bright light treatment and medication are commonly used to treat SAD. Psychotherapy can also be helpful, reinforcing coping and support interventions. Preventative and coping tips include:

  • Exercising and eating well
  • Letting light in through windows
  • Participating in Stress Management classes
  • Seeking the help of a clinician if symptoms persist

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Mason, OH, November 13, 2014 – Lindner Center of HOPE is recognized by The Joint Commission as a Top Performer on Key Quality Measures® for achieving excellence in performance on its accountability measures during 2013 for Hospital-Based Inpatient Psychiatry. The Lindner Center of HOPE was also recognized in 2012.

Lindner Center of HOPE is one of 1,224 hospitals to meet or exceed the target rates of performance for 2013. The ratings are based on an aggregation of accountability measure data reported to The Joint Commission during the 2013 calendar year.

Key_set_with_words_2013  Lindner Center of HOPE and each of the hospitals that were named as a Top Performer on Key Quality Measures must: 1) achieve cumulative performance of 95 percent or above across all reported accountability measures; 2) achieve performance of 95 percent or above on each and every reported accountability measure where there are at least 30 denominator cases; and 3) have at least one core measure set that has a composite rate of 95 percent or above, and within that measure set all applicable individual accountability measure have a performance rate of 95 percent or above. A 95 percent score means a hospital provided an evidence-based practice 95 times out of 100 opportunities. Each accountability measure represents an evidence-based practice.

Specific measures that Lindner Center of HOPE was evaluated on included:

  • Completing Nursing and SW assessments timely and thoroughly
  • Continued low rates of restraints
  • Physicians documenting the justification of discharging patients on multiple antipsychotics greatly improved
  • Nursing providing patients and/or families with list of discharge medications with doses and indications
  • Social workers securing discharge plans with external providers and obtaining appropriate authorizations for disclosure
  • Timely completion of discharge summaries
  • HIM facilitating the process of forwarding copies of discharge summaries to appropriate external providers for continuity of care

“We understand that what matters most to patients at Lindner Center of HOPE is safe, effective mental health care. That’s why Lindner Center of HOPE has made a commitment to accreditation and to positive patient outcomes through evidence-based care processes. Lindner Center of HOPE is proud to receive this distinction of being a Joint Commission Top Performer on Key Quality Measures for the second year in a row, says Dr. Paul Keck, President and CEO.

In addition to being included in The Joint Commission’s “Improving America’s Hospitals” annual report, Lindner Center of HOPE will be recognized on The Joint Commission’s Quality check website, www.qualitycheck.org.

Lindner Center of HOPE provides excellent, patient-centered, scientifically-advanced care for individuals suffering with mental illness. A state-of-the-science, mental health center and charter member of the National Network of Depression Centers, the Center provides psychiatric hospitalization and partial hospitalization for individuals age 12-years-old and older, outpatient services for all ages, diagnostic and short-term residential services for adults and adolescents, intensive outpatient program for substance abuse and co-occurring disorders for adults and research. The Center is enhanced by its partnership with UC Health as its clinicians are ranked among the best providers locally, nationally and internationally. Together Lindner Center of HOPE and UC Health offer a true system of mental health care in the Greater Cincinnati area and across the country. The Center is also affiliated with the University of Cincinnati (UC) College of Medicine.

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Weight restoration, nutritional support, coping skills instruction and disease management assistance are features of this Eating Disorders Partial Hospitalization Program for adults.

MASON – (Sept. 26, 2014) – Beginning Monday, September 29, Lindner Center of HOPE will offer an expanded partial hospitalization program for patients 18 and older struggling with eating disorders.

For those who suffer with eating disorders, food and mealtimes become a source of fear, panic, anxiety and pain. Managing this illness often requires an intermediate level of care between acute inpatient care and outpatient care; this level of care is available at Lindner Center of HOPE for adults age 18 and older.

The Eating Disorder Partial Hospitalization Program at Lindner Center of HOPE (EDO PHP) is a treatment program designed to provide intensive treatment for eating disordered patients who do not meet criteria for inpatient hospitalization but who are not stable enough to be treated in the traditional outpatient setting. The goal of EDO PHP is weight restoration, nutritional support and planning, instruction of cognitive coping skills, and to assist patients in the management of their disease and symptoms to the point that traditional outpatient services will be effective. EDO PHP is often used as step-down treatment from inpatient hospitalization with the intent of transitioning the patient back into their home environment and healthy routines. As such, EDO PHP is a cost effective option for patients who meet admission criteria for this program.

EDO PHP operates Monday through Friday (except legal holidays), 7:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. on the campus of the Lindner Center of HOPE at 4075 Old Western Row Road, Mason, 45040. Duration of the program is based on individual progress towards established goals; however the average length of stay for the EDO PHP is four to six weeks. The program features:

  • Attended and supported breakfast, lunch and dinner
  • Monitored physical status, including weight and vital signs
  • Check-In and Check-Out with goal setting and debriefing of skills attempted
  • Group programs which are DBT-based and with a primary focus on skill development
  • Supportive individual therapy
  • Nutritional and meal planning support
  • Specialized EDO group therapy
  • Family support and education

The EDO PHP at Lindner Center of HOPE operates in conjunction with Lindner Center of HOPE’s Adult Partial Hospitalization Program, available for adults who are experiencing emotional or behavioral issues significant enough to affect daily functioning or quality of life. Patients may be suffering with diagnoses, including but not limited to: mood disorders, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, adjustment disorders and thought disorders not requiring hospitalization.

For more information, individuals may call (513) 536-4673 to speak to an intake expert.

 

Lindner Center of HOPE provides excellent, patient-centered, scientifically-advanced care for individuals suffering with mental illness. A state-of-the-science, mental health center and charter member of the National Network of Depression Centers, the Center provides psychiatric hospitalization and partial hospitalization for individuals age 12-years-old and older, outpatient services for all ages, diagnostic and short-term residential services for adults and adolescents, intensive outpatient program for substance abuse and co-occurring disorders for adults and research. The Center is enhanced by its partnership with UC Health as its clinicians are ranked among the best providers locally, nationally and internationally. Together Lindner Center of HOPE and UC Health offer a true system of mental health care in the Greater Cincinnati area and across the country. The Center is also affiliated with the University of Cincinnati (UC) College of Medicine.

 

Contact:

Jennifer Pierson Lindner Center of HOPE (513) 536 -0316 [email protected]

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Adolescence is a critical time when physical, cognitive, and social changes allow a teenager to develop the identity that will serve as a basis for their adult lives. Unfortunately, research indicates this is also the time when psychiatric illness develops and becomes more present. The significant impact of these illnesses in the developmental years, makes finding the right care environment even more critical.

Struggles with mental health and addiction issues can be complex and complicated, so much so that typical inpatient and outpatient assessment and treatment options may not be able to get to the root of the issues.

The Adolescent Comprehensive Diagnostic Assessment and Intensive Treatment Program, which opened May 12, 2014, offers a specialized and intimate treatment setting within the Lindner Center of HOPE, focusing on intensive assessment and treatment of patients, age 11 through 17, suffering with complex, co-morbid mental health issues. As adolescence is such a tender time, accurate diagnosis, effective treatment planning, and the development of a solid blueprint for treatment success and realistic future focus is even more crucial. A 21-day diagnostic stay for adolescents results in a detailed but concise diagnostic picture, which includes the results of genetic testing for the development of the optimal psychopharmacologic treatment plan. Additional treatment weeks, beyond the diagnostic assessment, feature a strengths-based approach to treatment helping adolescents build skills readying them for next steps in treatment and life.

Serving patients ages 11 to 17 with:

  • Depression & Bipolar Disorders
  • Anxiety & Obsessive Compulsive Disorders
  • Disorders of Thinking & Related Conditions
  • Complex, Co-morbidity
  • Eating Disorders
  • Addictive and Co-Occurring Psychiatric Disorders

The Adolescent Comprehensive Diagnostic Assessment and Intensive Treatment Program, a private pay program, features:

  • A quick and smooth referral and intake process.
  • A safe and welcoming environment that meets the adolescent where they are.
  • A highly credentialed treatment team, with access to 45 clinical consultants.
  • Specialization in complex mental health and addictive disorders.
  • An evidence-based compilation of psychological and neuropsychological testing.
  • A comprehensive assessment resulting in a detailed but concise diagnostic picture.
  • Genetic testing for developing the optimal psychopharmacologic treatment plan.
  • A structured milieu model with CBT and DBT as a foundation.
  • A strengths-based approach to treatment recommendations and development of future focus.
  • A licensed teacher collaboratively working with the treatment team and home school contacts.
  • Parent and family involvement and education.
  • Follow-up support for up to 3 months after discharge.
  • A network of HOPE for further treatment referrals for patients and families.

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Evening to feature a screening of Boys and Men Healing, a Big Voice Pictures Production, and Howard Fradkin, PhD, LICDC-CS, author of Joining Forces:  Empowering Male Survivors to Thrive

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Mason, OH – March 21, 2014 – Lindner Center of HOPE at 4075 Old Western Row Road in Mason is hosting Dare to Dream: An Evening of Public Awareness about Male Sexual Victimization on Thursday, April 24, 2014 from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. in its gymnasium/conference center. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. The program and parking are free.

One in six men in the United States are survivors of childhood sexual abuse. The April 24th event will feature a screening of the transformational documentary Boys and Men Healing, directed by Kathy Barbini, a Big Voice Pictures Production. A community conversation will follow to discuss healing and the resources available for male survivors and their loved ones. The discussion will be led by Howard Fradkin, PhD, LICDC-CS, co-chairperson, MaleSurvivor Weekend of Recovery and author of Joining Forces:  Empowering Male Survivors to Thrive.

This evening is an opportunity for male survivors, their partners and family members, professionals from diverse fields who work with male survivors, and interested community members; to join forces to increase public awareness about male sexual victimization. Again, 1 in 6 men have a history of sexual victimization before the age of 16, and 1 in 8 rape victims are men, but it is still a silent epidemic for many men. The program is intended to break the silence and help audience members understand the complex and often misunderstood dynamics of being a male survivor and some of the unique challenges that can hinder recovery. Most of all, this event is about offering healing, hope and support for survivors and their families. The audience will be introduced to local, statewide and national resources that can empower men to heal with the support they have always deserved. Again, the program includes viewing the film, Boys and Men Healing, directed by Kathy Barbini, a Big Voice Pictures Production, and will be followed by a panel discussion featuring Dr. Fradkin and three courageous male survivors who will share their experience of recovery and hope. Audience members will have ample time to share their own experience and ask questions which will help them better understand the problems and the solutions.

Two continuing education credits will be available for psychologists, therapists and social workers.

Attendees should register by April 11 by contacting Pricila Gran at [email protected] or 513-536-0318.

Lindner Center of HOPE  provides excellent, patient-centered, scientifically-advanced care for individuals suffering with mental illness. A state-of-the-science, mental health center and charter member of the National Network of Depression Centers, the Center provides psychiatric hospitalization and partial hospitalization for individuals age 12-years-old and older, outpatient services for all ages, diagnostic and short-term residential services for adults, intensive outpatient program for substance abuse and co-occurring disorders for adults and research. The Center is enhanced by its partnership with UC Health as its clinicians are ranked among the best providers locally, nationally and internationally. Together Lindner Center of HOPE and UC Health offer a true system of mental health care in the Greater Cincinnati area and across the country. The Center is also affiliated with the University of Cincinnati (UC) College of Medicine.

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Technology capable of reaching deeper brain areas may provide relief of symptoms for patients resistant to medication

Cincinnati, Ohio – For more than four million Americans in the United States, the symptoms of depression are not relieved by the use of antidepressant medications. This class of depression falls into one of two categories, treatment resistant depression (TRD)or treatment intolerant depression (TID). The TRD group often tries and fails several different types of medications – either alone or in combination – while the TID group has medication side effects so debilitating that they cannot tolerate the treatment.

For these patients, an entirely new type of treatment is being studied at the Lindner Center of HOPE, led by John Hawkins, M.D., chief of psychiatry at the center. The technology, called multicoil repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) or simply TMS, is a non-medication, non-systemic and non-invasive approach to treating depression.

“TMS offers patients that either do not respond to, or cannot tolerate medication, a new treatment option,” said Dr. Hawkins. “Our clinic is currently studying a new approach to this technology and we are hopeful that it will provide relief for these patients that have been suffering from depression in some cases for several years.”

Depression is thought to occur because of less than optimalchemical activity in the brain. TheTMS treatment currently under study by Dr. Hawkins and his team uses multiple magnetic fields, generated by coils placed on a patient’s scalp, to stimulate specific brain regions both on the surface and in deeper regions of the brain. This research is important in understanding whether TMS treatment restores normal brain chemical activity, thereby reducing the symptoms of depression. To date, more than 100 patients have been studied using this approach without the occurrence of serious side effects related to the device.

Depression is a mental disorder characterized by loss of interest or pleasure in activities that were previously enjoyable, a decrease in energy, feelings of low self-worth, disturbed sleep or appetite and difficultyin concentrating.1 Depression often comes with symptoms of anxiety and these problems can become chronic, substantially impairing the ability of an individual to take care of everyday responsibilities.  On a global scale, depression affects more than 350 million people and is the leading cause of disability worldwide.2

To find out more information about the TMS study at Lindner Center of HOPE contact 513-536-0712 or visit http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01909232.

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1Marcus, M. et al. Depression: A Global Public Health Concern. World Health Organization 2012, Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse. http://www.who.int/mental_health/management/depression/who_paper_depression_wfmh_2012.pdf.Accessed 04.6.2013.

2Marcus, M. et al.

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Lindner Center of HOPE today was named Top Performer on Key Quality Measures® by The Joint Commission, the leading accreditor of health care organizations in America. Lindner Center of HOPE was recognized by The Joint Commission for exemplary performance in using evidence-based clinical processes that are shown to improve care for certain conditions. The clinical processes focus on care for heart attack, pneumonia, surgery, children’s asthma, stroke and venous thromboembolism , as well as inpatient psychiatric services. New this year is a category for immunization for pneumonia and influenza.

Lindner Center of HOPE is one of 1,099 hospitals in the U.S. earning the distinction of Top Performer on Key Quality Measures for attaining and sustaining excellence in accountability measure performance. Lindner Center of HOPE was recognized for its achievement on the following measure sets:  Hospital- Based Inpatient Psychiatric Services. The ratings are based on an aggregation of accountability measure data reported to The Joint Commission during the 2012 calendar year. The list of Top Performer organizations increased by 77 percent from last year and it represents 33 percent of all Joint Commission-accredited hospitals reporting accountability measure performance data for 2012.

Lindner Center of HOPE and each of the hospitals that were named as a Top Performer on Key Quality Measures must:  1) achieve cumulative performance of 95 percent or above across all reported accountability measures; 2) achieve performance of 95 percent or above on each and every reported accountability measure where there are at least 30 denominator cases; and 3) have at least one core measure set that has a composite rate of 95 percent or above, and within that measure set all applicable individual accountability measure have a performance rate of 95 percent or above. A 95 percent score means a hospital provided an evidence-based practice 95 times out of 100 opportunities. Each accountability measure represents an evidence-based practice.

“Lindner Center of HOPE and all the Top Performer hospitals have demonstrated an exceptional commitment to quality improvement and they should be proud of their achievement,” says Mark R. Chassin, M.D., FACP, M.P.P., M.P.H., president and chief executive officer, The Joint Commission. “We have much to celebrate this year. Nearly half of our accredited hospitals have attained or nearly attained the Top Performer distinctions. This truly shows that we are approaching a tipping point in the hospital quality performance that will directly contribute to better health outcomes for patients.”

“We understand that what matters most to patients at Lindner Center of HOPE is safe, effective mental health care. That’s why Lindner Center of HOPE has made a commitment to accreditation and to positive patient outcomes through evidence-based care processes. Lindner Center of HOPE is proud to receive this distinction of being a Joint Commission Top Performer on Key Quality Measures, says Dr. Paul Keck, President and CEO.

In addition to being included in The Joint Commission’s “Improving America’s Hospitals” annual report, Lindner Center of HOPE will be recognized on The Joint Commission’s Quality check website, www.qualitycheck.org. The Top Performer program will be featured in the December issues of The Joint Commission Perspectives and The Source.

Lindner Center of HOPE  provides excellent, patient-centered, scientifically-advanced care for individuals suffering with mental illness. A state-of-the-science, mental health center and charter member of the National Network of Depression Centers, the Center provides psychiatric hospitalization and partial hospitalization for individuals age 12-years-old and older, outpatient services for all ages, diagnostic and short-term residential services for adults, intensive outpatient program for substance abuse and co-occurring disorders for adults and research. The Center is enhanced by its partnership with UC Health as its clinicians are ranked among the best providers locally, nationally and internationally. Together Lindner Center of HOPE and UC Health offer a true system of mental health care in the Greater Cincinnati area and across the country. The Center is also affiliated with the University of Cincinnati (UC) College of Medicine.

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Mason, OH – Steven F. Kendell, MD, has joined Lindner Center of HOPE as a staff psychiatrist.

Dr. Kendell is board certified in general psychiatry.  As a staff psychiatrist atDr. Steven J. Kendell Lindner Center of HOPE his principal work is in adult partial hospitalization, adult inpatient care and outpatient services.

Prior to joining the Lindner Center of HOPE, Dr. Kendell served as Director of Research at Blue Horizon International Stem Cell Investigation and Treatment Program in New York, New York. Dr. Kendell’s other clinical positions have included serving as Attending Psychiatrist at Appalachian Behavioral Healthcare, Athens, Ohio; Attending Psychiatrist at Kettering Behavioral Medicine Center in Kettering, Ohio and Attending Psychiatrist at Butte County Department of Behavioral Health in Chico, California.

Dr. Kendell’s academic appointments have included Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Athens, Ohio; Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Boonshoft School of Medicine in Dayton, Ohio, and Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut.

Dr. Kendell has received a number of awards and honors and has been a member of several professional societies. He also has supervised medical students and has co-authored several original reports, book chapters and scientific abstracts.

Lindner Center of HOPE  provides patient-centered, scientifically-advanced care for individuals suffering with mental illness. A state-of-the-science, free-standing mental health center and charter member of the National Network of Depression Centers, the Center provides psychiatric hospitalization for individuals age 12-years-old and older, outpatient services for all ages, research and voluntary, live-in services. The Center’s clinicians are ranked among the best providers locally, nationally and internationally. Lindner Center of HOPE is affiliated with the University of Cincinnati (UC) College of Medicine.

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Statistics can be somewhat ambiguous when it comes to eating disorders. Over the years, there have been countless studies conducted surrounding the prevalence of illnesses such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder. Although many of these studies convey slightly different findings, one thing is certain: Millions of Americans struggle with eating disorders.

While the majority of eating disorder sufferers are young women and adolescent girls, research has discovered that more and more males — an estimated 10 to 15 percent — are struggling with eating disorders as well. Additionally, incidents of these disorders in older women have been on a steady incline in recent years.

Why the Upward Trend?

New information is surfacing in regard to women in their 40s, 50s and 60s maintaining a negative body image, and as a result, continuing unhealthy eating patterns or developing eating disorders. Recent studies have found that over 60 percent of women 50 years of age and older are acutely concerned about their weight. Roughly 13 percent of these women suffer from some type of eating disorder.

Some older women keep their eating-related struggles hidden for years. Others, after having addressed an eating disorder earlier in life to at least some degree, relapse as they approach middle age. There are of course a variety of other factors that may contribute to the development of eating disorders in middle-aged women. These include a divorce or the loss of a mate where a woman feels she needs to lose weight to regain a level of attractiveness. It’s also not out of the question for a woman to develop an eating disorder for the first time later in life.

Never Too Late to Begin Treatment

Regardless of age or gender, anorexia treatment, bulimia treatment and treatment methods for other eating-related illnesses have evolved throughout the years. The percentage of successful outcomes continues to increase. Treatment for eating disorders usually consists of a combination of nutritional counseling, individual or group therapy, and in many cases, medications.

With the discovery of eating disorders in so many older women, mental health professionals are realizing that life-long care may be required even after a young woman has shown significant signs of recovery. However, those who get help for eating disorders early do have the best chance at long-term recovery.

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This blog is written and published by Lindner Center of HOPE.

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Armodafinil - Donuts2

 

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This blog is written and published by Lindner Center of HOPE.