2005 Press Releases
Hospital’s senior behavioral health unit welcomes new medical director ROME – Florica Rosario Ochotorena, M.D. has been appointed medical director of Rome Memorial Hospital’s Senior Behavioral Health Unit. Located on the hospital’s second floor, the 11-bed Senior Behavioral Health Unit is a secure therapeutic environment that provides health care for seniors who have depression, anxiety, dementia, and other behavioral health problems. Treatment includes prescribed medications, psychotherapy, and other activities to help the seniors regain their well being. Board certified in geriatric psychiatry by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, Dr. Ochotorena has also opened a private practice to provide evaluation and treatment for adults and seniors whose needs can be met in an office setting. She is accepting new patients at her Rome office located at 117 W. Liberty St., Suite 2. Appointments may be made by calling 337-2582. Dr. Ochotorena earned her medical degree at the University of Santo Tomas in the Philippines. After completing her internship in internal medicine at the Metropolitan Hospital Center in New York, she received her residency training in general pscyhiatry at St. Vincent’s Hospital and Medical Center of New York, where she also completed her fellowship in geriatric psychiatry. Dr. Ochotorena comes from a family of doctors. Following in the footsteps of their parents, she and her three sisters each chose a career in medicine. As she grew up surrounded by the good works of her parents, she said she was drawn to medicine to help people function at their most optimum level of health. In the years since she started her training in psychiatry, Dr. Ochotorena said the perceived social stigma of mental health problems has significantly declined as more people recognize depression, anxiety and dementia as medical illnesses. “The media has actually done a good job shedding light on psychiatric problems so more people are coming forward for help,” she said. According to Dr. Ochotorena, seniors with mental health problems are more likely to go undiagnosed because seniors often suffer from other chronic diseases. “Often the symptoms are disregarded as a normal part of aging or attributed to the side effects of medications,” she said. In fact, approximately 20 percent of people 65 and older experience mental health disorders that are not part of normal aging, according to national statistics. Signs and symptoms that a loved one may be experiencing serious emotional difficulties include: Insomnia or too much sleep Loss of interest in regular activities Crying spells Poor appetite or overeating Disregard for personal appearance Agitation or aggression Sad or blank look on face Thoughts of suicide Forgetfulness or confusion Withdrawal and isolation
“Together, psychotherapy and medications are the most effective treatment to help people reconnect with themselves and with their families,” Dr. Ochotorena said. “I enjoy developing a rapport with my patients to create a therapeutic alliance. It’s very satisfying to be involved in helping people by stabilizing their moods, reducing their agitation and improving their overall functional ability.” Dr. Ochotorena’s private practice provides patients who are discharged from the Senior Behavioral Health Unit with one more option for their outpatient care. The Senior Behavioral Health Unit can take admissions seven days a week, 24 hours a day to meet the needs of seniors in crisis. For more information, please call 338-7399. | 