Geriatric Psychiatry in Maryland for Older Adults
Depression, anxiety, grief, and sleep problems are not a normal part of getting older, and they respond to treatment. At Oasis of Hope, we care for older adults across Maryland, by telepsychiatry from home, in person in Waldorf, or, in a limited area, through home visits.
Insurance plans we accept
Mental health in later life is treatable, not inevitable
Many families are told that low mood, worry, or pulling away from people is just part of aging. It is not. Depression and anxiety are medical conditions at every age, and in older adults they respond to the same careful treatment they do in anyone else.
What changes in later life is often how these conditions look. They can hide behind physical complaints, a smaller world, or a quiet that everyone has learned to expect. Naming what is actually happening is the first clinical step, and it is one we take seriously.
We care for older adults the way we care for every patient: with a comprehensive evaluation first, an accurate diagnosis, and a plan you understand and agree with.
How depression, anxiety, grief, and sleep show up later in life
Later-life mental health conditions often present differently than they do in younger adults. Knowing the signs helps families tell ordinary aging apart from something that deserves attention.
Only a comprehensive evaluation can diagnose any of these, but these are the patterns clinicians look for in older adults.
- Depression that shows up as irritability, aches and pains, or loss of interest rather than obvious sadness
- Anxiety centered on health, finances, falling, or being a burden, worry that is hard to control and gets in the way of daily life
- Grief after the loss of a spouse, friends, independence, or a familiar role, especially when the low mood lingers and does not lift
- Sleep that has changed for the worse, trouble falling asleep, waking through the night, or sleeping far more than usual
- Withdrawal from people and activities once enjoyed, or new trouble with memory, focus, or decisions
- Physical symptoms that have been worked up medically and still do not have an explanation
Careful medication management for older adults
Medication can help a great deal in later life, but it has to be handled with extra care. Older adults are often taking several medications already, and the body processes them differently with age, so interactions and side effects matter more, not less.
Our medication management is led by Charlotte Ayuk-Nkem, APRN, CRNP-PMH, a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. We find the right medication at the right dose, often starting low and adjusting slowly, then refining it with you over follow-up visits. We watch for side effects early and would always rather hear about one than have you stop on your own.
We also coordinate with your primary care doctor and any other providers, so a new medication fits the rest of your care rather than working against it. Medication is a tool, not the goal, and the decision to use it is always yours, made with accurate information.
Three ways to be seen, including care that comes to you
Getting to an appointment can be the hardest part of care in later life. We offer three ways to be seen so distance, transportation, or being homebound does not become the reason care does not happen.
Telepsychiatry lets you complete the same evaluation, medication management, and therapy from home, anywhere in Maryland, on a secure video platform with no app to install. It is a good fit if you face transportation limits or simply prefer being at home, and evening telehealth slots run from 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm daily.
In-person care is available at our Waldorf, MD office for patients who prefer to be seen face to face.
For older adults who cannot reach the office and cannot use telehealth, for example, those without reliable transportation or without the devices video visits require, our Mobile Treatment Services bring a clinician to your home or another safe place. Availability is geographically limited to the area around Waldorf, because a clinician travels to each visit, so the first step is to call and confirm your address is within range.
Older adults and their families are not on their own in this
If you are worried about a parent, a spouse, or yourself, you do not have to have it figured out before you call. We will take your history, listen to what has changed, and give you a straight clinical read on what we see.
We accept 13 insurance plans, including Medicare and Medicaid, and we verify your coverage before the first visit so there are no surprises. Call us at 301-710-4218 and we will help you take the first step.
What your first visit looks like
Care begins with a comprehensive psychiatric evaluation, an unhurried 60 to 90 minute conversation about your history, what is happening now, and what you would like to feel different. A loved one is welcome to take part if it helps you keep track of the history.
By the end of that visit, you have an initial diagnosis where one is warranted and a plan you understand and agree with, whether that points toward medication management, therapy, or a combination. We revisit the plan with you over time as your needs change, rather than setting it once and forgetting it.
You can have that first visit by telepsychiatry from home, in person in Waldorf, or, within our service area, through a home visit. We will help you choose the option that fits your circumstances.
If you are in crisis
If you or someone you love is in immediate crisis or having thoughts of suicide, do not wait for an appointment. Call or text 988 (the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline), or call 911. These lines are free, confidential, and available 24 hours a day. Oasis of Hope provides scheduled care and is not an emergency service.
Older Adult Care questions
The questions we hear most, answered by our clinical team.
Still have a question? Reach out, we'll answer honestly.
Your first step is a single phone call.
Book a consultation online or call us directly. We answer Monday through Saturday, 8:30am–6pm.