Interior at LewisGale Alleghany's new Senior Transitions facility.LewisGale Regional Health System celebrated the completion of its new Senior Transitions Unit at LewisGale Hospital Alleghany today with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
The 15-bed inpatient specialty unit, located on the fifth floor of the hospital, is designed to meet the behavioral health needs of seniors throughout LewisGale Regional Health System’s service area.
“We strategically chose Alleghany as the site for our new program because of its rapidly growing senior population,” says Victor E. Giovanetti, president of LewisGale Regional Health System. “This specialized unit will focus on meeting the needs of some of our most vulnerable citizens and ensure they have the best health outcomes.”
Giovanetti anticipates patients will come from all over the region to receive this specialized care because the unit is a first-of-its-kind for Southwest Virginia.
“There is currently a shortage of resources in the area to the serve the senior population,” said Bruce Melosh, MA, MSPH, Senior Transitions Director. “Opening this program will help to fill the gap and serve as a regional center for the treatment of seniors with behavioral or emotional issues.”
The Senior Transitions program will primarily serve patients 65 and older with emotional and behavioral health issues such as memory problems, mood disorders, anxiety disorders and psychotic disorders. Patients as young as 55 years old may qualify for admission if they suffer with chronic mental health issues or disability.
“Seniors have unique behavioral health challenges that are often coupled with other medical conditions,” said Pradip Koirala, M.D., Senior Transitions Medical Director.
“We are excited to bring this new service to Alleghany to meet an important community need while at the same time benefitting our local economy through the creation of new jobs,” said Greg Madsen, CEO, LewisGale Hospital Alleghany.
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