Alterspsychiatrische Tagesklinik Solothurn

The Alterspsychiatrische Tagesklinik Solothurn is a specialised geriatric psychiatry service within the Solothurn psychiatric department, offering diagnostic, counselling and therapeutic care for adults aged 60 and older who are experiencing mental illness or crisis situations. Referrals typically come from primary care physicians, specialist doctors, psychotherapists or the patients themselves, and the clinic places strong emphasis on collaboration with relatives, general practitioners and other care partners. Core services include outpatient psychiatric consultations, ambulatory assessments to determine the need for further investigation or treatment, and pre‑admission evaluations for possible hospitalisation or day‑clinic care. The day‑clinic unit ARKADE focuses on dementia patients, providing cognitive activation and rehabilitation in a protected, low‑stimulus environment. The clinic also offers group programmes aimed at restoring everyday competencies, managing behavioural disturbances, and strengthening self‑confidence, while addressing common geriatric psychiatric conditions such as mild to moderate dementia, depression and substance‑use disorders. A comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach underpins the clinic’s work. It collaborates closely with the Memory Clinic at Kantonsspital Olten for dementia diagnostics, and integrates suicide‑prevention services, including a 24/7 crisis and emergency ambulance (NoKiA) and a dedicated counselling hotline for patients, relatives and professionals. Medication optimisation and psychotherapeutic interventions are delivered within a safe, orientation‑friendly setting designed for individuals with cognitive impairments. The facility operates two admission stations with 14 and 16 protected beds respectively, providing a bridge between outpatient and inpatient care. Emphasis is placed on maintaining patients’ ability to live at home while attending regular treatment days, thereby reducing the need for prolonged hospitalisation. The overall aim is to enhance daily functioning, promote social independence, and deliver evidence‑based psychiatric care to the elderly population of the Canton of Solothurn.