Inpatient Depression Treatment Centers Near Iowa City

October 25, 2020 9:28 AM

COVID is hard, and close (late-70s) family member is suffering like we've never seen her before. She has always had (manageable) anxiety, but now she is depressed to the point of paralysis. Please help us identify COVID-safe inpatient treatment options in the Iowa-to-Chicago area.

She moved to a wonderful independent living facility, trying mediation, but she's considering inpatient treatment options in consultation with her doctors this week. COVID understandably adds a layer of safety concern there...

The good news is – and we know we're very lucky here – money is not a constraint. She could spend 6 digits very comfortably.

She's in Iowa, but open to options as far as the Chicago area. We'd love any advice on inpatient facilities where she could get good treatment, in a COVID-safe and very nice facility*, and get the best chance to get back on her feet.

* She's not a "luxury" person normally, but given COVID, a higher-cost facility could even be an easier sell? In goggling a bit, these sorts of things pop up, and we're open to them.

posted by anonymous to Human Relations (4 answers total)

A lot of times, inpatient psychiatric treatment is more of the acute "Keep you from hurting yourself right now" level. Intensive outpatient programs (often something like 4-6 hours a day, 3-4 days a week) are more of the ongoing "Let us teach you a lot of skills and give you intensive therapeutic treatment" level. Is she an immediate threat to herself, either through active suicidal ideation or self-neglect severe enough to warrant around-the-clock watching for a few days? If not, you may want to broaden your search to include intensive outpatient (IOP) level care.
posted by lapis at 4:52 PM on October 25, 2020

If she is looking for a longer term (couple of months or so) residential community that gives people a chance to step out of their every day life and get their balance back, she might look at the farm program at Cooper-Riis. It has the benefits of a 24/7 staff but the focus on the whole person, not just trying to get the meds right and then discharging you like an hospital in-patient facility.

In terms of COVID-19, it has the advantage of being a much more stable community than an IOP although I can't speak to the details of their program but I'm sure they would be happy to answer any questions.
posted by metahawk at 10:06 PM on October 25, 2020 [2 favorites]

That's a good point -- "residential treatment program" might be another search term.
posted by lapis at 10:55 PM on October 25, 2020 [1 favorite]

Maybe not the luxury sort of situation you are looking for, but the geriatric psychiatry department at UIHC is second to none. It might be worth at least calling and explaining the situation and seeing what they suggest. If they aren't what you're looking for they would be able to suggest a place.
posted by Lutoslawski at 10:10 AM on October 26, 2020