Geriatric psychiatry
Help in case of mental problems in aged people
The Hospital for Geriatric Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapie of the "Pfalzklinikum" at the location Klingenmünster has 3 wards with a total of 64 beds.
"…There are many reasons to contact us. Perhaps you have increasingly problems to cope with your everyday life or you feel restricted by inner or outer limits. Maybe you start a quarrel unusually often – even with people who mean a lot to you – or you cannot make yourself heard. Possibly, you suffer from inexplicable physical complaints, cannot switch off or come to rest. …"
If so, your physician probably advised you to undergo treatment in our geropsychiatric department.
Snoezelen room
With the installation of a snoezelen room, the hospital of Geriatric Psychiatry (psychiatry for older patients) at the Pfalzklinikum has added a further facet to the therapeutic possibilities for older people. "Snoezelen" (pronounced like "SNOOzelen") is a neologism formed from the Dutch "snuffelen" (to sniff, to snuffle) and "doezelen" (to doze, to snooze). After Ward P 17 of the department of General Psychiatry, the department of Geriatric Psychiatry with its three wards has the second snoezelen room at the "Pfalzklinikum".
White walls, white baldachin, discreet light elements, green soft gymnastics mats and sitting elements suitable for the elderly
are part of the basic equipment and create a tranquil atmosphere. Furthermore, there are a large corner mirror, a pillar with coloured water bubbles, a disco ball with colour disk, a weather projector and an ultraviolet lamp with glow sticks.
"With "snoezelen", we expose our patients to purposely chosen stimuli in a pleasant atmosphere", Dr. Markus Fani explains the idea. "Snoezelen" calms down, trains senses and motor functions, activates old and new sensory experiences and, thus, contributes to a mental stabilization."
Dear relatives,
Knowing that your relative is under geropsychiatric treatment is definitely not easy for you. The reasons why you have got to know us may be totally different. Perhaps your relative has become so difficult because of his/her illness that you cannot cope with him/her. Maybe you feel overwhelmed and this gnaws at your conscience. Or your relative is simply not as productive as before. Perhaps he/she even seems to be a bit "confused".
If you have such problems we are glad to help you, dear patients, dear relatives. In this leaflet, you get the answers to the most important questions about geriatric psychiatry. If you want to know more, just ask us. …"
Leaflets
Dementia: Counselling by telephone for relatives
Relatives of people with dementia can get some help under the phone-number 0049.172-7268918. Ulrich Kothe, the husband of a patient, offers a counselling by telephone in cooperation with the Pfalzklinikum. So, relatives can exchange experiences with someone who understands their situation. The counselling by telephone can't compensate for professional counselling.