Geriatric Mental Health and Memory Care

UR Medicine is a nationally recognized center for excellence in geriatric psychiatry and has the only geriatric mental health division in upstate New York. Our division consists of an outpatient older adult service, an inpatient geriatric psychiatry unit, and a distinguished memory care program. We conduct clinical research, participating in a number of national and international studies.

Patient Care

We are committed to interdisciplinary collaboration and partnering with patients and their families to provide care that is accessible and individualized.

Older Adult Services
Providing specialized mental health care and treatments for the aging population, including individual, family, and group counseling. 

Memory Care Program
Diagnosis, treatment, and care of neurodegenerative conditions that affect the aging nervous system.

Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care (ADC) at the Memory Care Program
ADC at UR Medicine is designed to help persons living with dementia and their loved ones meet the complex medical, behavioral, and social needs of Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia. 

Capacity Evaluation Clinic at the Memory Care Program
The Clinic is a specialized program that completes a comprehensive psychiatric assessment to determine if an individual is able to engage in different types of decision-making.  

Geriatric Psychiatry Inpatient Unit
A multidisciplinary team focused on the acute management of emotional distress and psychiatric illness in older adults.

Finger Lakes Center of Excellence for Alzheimer's Disease
Created to serve persons with Alzheimer’s Disease/Dementia in the Finger Lakes region, as well as their families. 

Geriatric Telepsychiatry
Providing consultations across New York State to multidisciplinary teams in skilled nursing facilities and patients in rural hospitals.

Our Research

Dementia Research (AD-CARE) is an internationally recognized clinical research program committed to Alzheimer’s and Dementia research. We participate in several national and international research initiatives that offer people with memory disorders the opportunity to participate in cutting-edge research.

The HOPE Lab (Helping Older People Engage) studies strategies, including HARP, we can all use to maintain and increase well-being as we grow older.  We study ways to maintain and grow meaningful social connections in later life. We focus on testing interventions to promote social engagement, social connectedness, and well-being. 

Healthy Aging Research Program (HARP): Connection for Latinos’ objective is to learn how to help individuals caring for a family member with dementia improve their social support and social relationships by understanding their experiences and barriers to making social connections. 

The VA Center of Excellence Geriatric Suicide Prevention Lab located at the ​Canandaigua VA Medical Center supports the design and conduct of research on the correlates of, and risk factors for, suicidal behaviors in aging populations.

Education and Training

Project ECHO Geriatric Mental Health in Long Term Care (GEMH) was the first project ECHO^®GEMH in New York State sponsored by the Office of Mental Health and a nationally recognized telementoring program designed to share our geriatric mental health expertise to create better outcomes for older adults living in skilled nursing facilities.    

Finger Lakes Geriatric Education Center ECHO^® GEMH serves long-term care clinicians in the Finger Lakes region. Project ECHO^® GEMH aims to increase the skills, knowledge, and self-efficacy of long-term care clinicians in their management of older adults with behavioral health and dementia care needs.