Aging Services
The Bridge’s Aging Services team provides whole-person care for vulnerable older adults with complex needs, with the goal of increasing community tenure and social determinants of health for older adults in supportive housing.
The Aging Services team's integrated support makes it possible for many Bridge clients to remain in their homes and "age in place," avoiding unnecessary and costly institutionalized settings.
Population Served
Individuals with mental illness face unique challenges as they move into older age. Studies linking serious mental illness to premature biological aging suggest that people with mental illness are physically older than their chronological age, in addition to having access to fewer resources and facing a higher risk of institutionalization.
The Aging Services team provides assessments, treatment interventions, and targeted referrals with the goal of enabling clients to remain in their homes with independence and dignity.
Aging Services at The Bridge
The multidisciplinary Aging Services team, led by a licensed clinical social worker, is composed of a registered nurse, a peer specialist, a case manager, and social work interns. Team members train clients and staff in geriatric behavioral health, triage in crisis, and stabilize older adults in the least restrictive settings possible.
The Aging Services team is available to all Bridge residents 55 years of age or older who have age-related concerns.
Services Offered
The Aging Services team conducts an initial assessment with each client to determine which services will be beneficial and create a care plan. Services include:
Connections to community resources like meal programs, senior centers, legal assistance
Assistance applying for Medicaid
Arranging for home health attendants
Environmental modifications and obtaining durable medical equipment (e.g. installing shower grab bars)
Escorts to important appointments
Liaison with family or with other care providers
Educating clients about their care and their options
Aging Services staff frequently advocate for clients to return to their homes on discharge from hospitals and programs, avoiding preventable placements in higher levels of care.
The Bridge's Aging in Place Program is made possible by the generous support of the van Ameringen Foundation, the Dammann Foundation, and the Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation; NYS OMH; the NYC DOHMH Geriatric Mental Health Initiative (New York City Council); and through our partnership with the Hunter School of Social Work's Silberman Center on Aging.