Living Well in the Golden Years: Las Vegas Mental Health Clinic Seeks to Address Concerns in the Realm of Elder Care

Mind Body Solutions specializes in geriatric care, making sure that the precious "Golden Years" stay golden.

Mind Body Solutions

​​Since the 1970s, the period of one's life known as the Golden Years has been advertised as a time of relaxation and leisure, free from the burden of work and civic responsibility. Many Americans dream of retirement, looking forward to the day they can put down their tools or walk out of the office for the last time. For good reason, peoples' imaginations have been filled with images of cruises, scenic road trips across America, and blissful days spent with children and grandchildren. However, this vision of inevitable elder years fails to mention the challenges of aging. The older people grow, the more likely they are to face a variety of health complications; with diabetes, heart disease, and Alzheimer's being common forms. Physical pain, whether from old injuries, arthritis, or simple wear and tear, can also be a significant concern. Decreased mobility, limited resources, and isolation are all sources of worry, as well.

While these challenges may seem frightening, especially when shown together, there is an answer for nearly every question and assistance for almost every problem. Mind Body Solutions, a Las Vegas-based psychiatry and pain management practice, specializes in geriatric care and can help make sure that the precious Golden Years stay golden.

We try to think of everything that our older clients might need. On the issue of mobility, we can offer a few different services. Our transportation department will shuttle you round-trip to and from your appointments, if you can no longer drive, for example. In some cases, such as if you're in home care, we can send a technician to facilitate a telemedicine visit with one of our providers.

Kendall Looney, Psych Tech Director for Mind Body Solutions

"We try to think of everything that our older clients might need. On the issue of mobility, we can offer a few different services. Our transportation department will shuttle you round-trip to and from your appointments, if you can no longer drive, for example. In some cases, such as if you're in homecare, we can send a technician to facilitate a telemedicine visit with one of our providers," says Kendall Looney, Psych Tech Director for Mind Body Solutions.

Telemedicine is an exciting new tool for doctors and other healthcare providers, allowing them to visit a patient remotely, over the Internet, using a computer monitor or tablet. There are several different platforms providers may choose from to use for this purpose, but they operate in a similar manner to Skype or Apple's Facetime.

"Telemedicine is especially useful when it comes to residents of rural communities. People who live far from medical resources can have a hard time finding appointments that fit within their schedules, or they may simply not be able to drive an hour or more to get to them. The problem gets even worse when you start needing specialists. With remote visits, we can conduct assessments or follow-ups, advise the patient, and then work with their local pharmacies, or have their prescriptions mailed to them. It has really removed some big barriers when it comes to caring for people who really need it," Looney says.

Another important service offered by Mind Body Solutions involves the lack of psychiatric care in many nursing homes and rehabilitation hospitals in the Las Vegas Area. Most facilities have primary care practitioners who make rounds and visit each patient in the building, with certain exceptions, and they may have certain specialists making rounds as well, such as a cardiologist. Not only are psychiatrists more rarely seen in nursing home settings, they are rare in the city of Las Vegas in general. For that reason, Mind Body Solutions has committed significant resources to providing psychiatric and mental health care to as many of Vegas's geriatric and rehabilitative care facilities as possible.

"We know that patients in nursing homes aren't guaranteed mental health care to go along with their physical care, but it can be very important in a lot of cases. Poor mental health can slow recovery, make a patient's stay less tolerable, or impact the lives and happiness of other patients and facility staff. It's hard to rest and recover when your roommate yells at the nurses whenever they stop by, for example. When we partner with a facility, we then assess and provide continuing care to all their consenting patients. It's a part of the business of which I'm very proud, as I've personally seen how much good it can do," explains Looney.

The population of the United States is growing steadily older, such that by the year 2030, nearly 1 in 5 Americans will be over the age of 65. Clinics like Mind Body Solutions provide some of the necessary answers to the hard questions regarding our Golden Years and attempt to ensure that they live up to their name. In Las Vegas, at least, individuals can be assured that they have someone to call if they are ever in need of answers. 

About Mind Body Solutions 
Mind Body Solutions, located just South of Sahara at 2275 S. Jones Blvd. and its owners believe in a holistic approach to pain management, by treating both the body and the mind, which they relate was the inspiration for the name of their practice. Through their efforts, they hope to provide lasting relief from not simply pain, but from addiction and the wide-ranging negative impacts, dependence can inflict on an individual and their families. America's struggle to overcome the opioid epidemic is far from over, but thanks to the work of government initiatives, charitable organizations, and healthcare providers like Mind Body Solutions, progress is being made.   

To make an appointment you can call (702) 384-2238 or Contact them online at http://www.mindbodynv.com/contact.

Source: Mind Body Solutions