Inpatient care involves admission to hospital. It is recommended for people who are extremely ill or who have complex care needs and are unlikely to receive the support they need in their usual environment. Where possible, clinicians will try to keep your loved one in their normal environment.
Inpatient care is generally 21 days in duration, although some people will have their stay extended if they need further care and intensive treatment.
Your loved one may be advised to undertake inpatient care because they are deemed to have a few special circumstances, such as: requiring medical stabilisation, acute care, a change in medication that requires close monitoring, or they are at risk of self-harm or harm to others.
While your loved one is in inpatient care, they will take part in a range of activities such as group therapy, art therapy, recreation, watching tv, exercising, socialising and going through treatment such as EMDR or trauma-focused therapy.
You can talk to your loved one while they are staying in the inpatient care, but it is generally advised that visitation does not occur until the later stages of care when transition to home is discussed.
In the final stage of care, your loved one and their treating team will look towards the future and what steps to take next. When your loved one returns home, they are likely to continue treatment with a local psychologist or psychiatrist and may also be offered exercise physiology or additional treatments in an outpatient setting.