Treatment options for Adults with Anorexia
* Day treatment
* Inpatient
* IOP
* Outpatient (such as the Center for Growth)
The Maudsley method is only indicated for adolescents (usually 18 or younger) who have had the illness less than three years and who are able to live at home with their parents. These factors give parents more control and more leverage to fight the illness. After three years it is extremely difficult to see a clear distinction between the person and the eating disorder. Therefore the treatment options do not include the Maudsley method.
Treatment Options for Adults With Anorexia: Day Treatment: Day treatment sometimes called partial hospitalization usually involves group therapy, nutrition therapy, family therapy, and psychiatry if indicated.
* Day treatment is often recommended when someone has been discharged from inpatient and is ready to step down to a lower level of care.
* Day treatment or partial hospitalization may be a good option for people struggling to maintain a healthy weight.
* If someone is losing weight rapidly and is at 82% or less of their ideal body weight than day treatment would most likely be indicated.
* If someone is severely restricting binging or purging on a daily basis or then day treatment may be necessary.
* Day treatment is not an appropriate option for someone
* At 75% or below of their ideal body weight.
* Who is medically unstable.
Treatment Options for Adults With Anorexia: Inpatient: Inpatient is for people who recquire 24 hour support to moniter their physical and mental health. Generally, someone should not be discharged from inpatient until they are at a minimum of 85% of their ideal body weight because the risk of relapse and return to impatient it significantly higher if they are discharged at a lower percentage of their body weight.
* At a weight of 75% of less of a persons ideal body weight
* If someone is purging multiple times per day and or
* Restricting severely daily inpatient may be necessary.
* Inpatient is necessary when Physician visits are needed at a minimum of 3 to 4 X per week.
Inpatient is necessary to monitor the following medical problems and risks.
* Ekg abnormalities
* Vital sign abnormalities
* Risk for developing refeeding syndrome
Treatment Options for Adults With Anorexia: Intensive outpatient (IOP): Intensive outpatient usually meets 3 times a week for approximately three to four hours. Usually a meal is provided and eaten within a group setting.
This type of treatment may be appropriate for
* Someone with Anorexia who has regained some of there weight and who has already attended day treatment or inpatient and is ready to be discharged to a lower level of care.
* Someone who has tried outpatient but is not progressing in his or her treatment and needs a higher level of care.
Intensive outpatient is not the right level of care for someone
* Who is medically unstable
* Someone who is below 82% of his or her ideal body weight
Residential treatment: Residential treatment is not for
People with acute medical problems.
Treatment Options for Adults With Anorexia: Outpatient: Outpatient would be appropriate from someone who is in recovery for Anorexia but who no longer meets strict weight criteria for Anorexia and is above 85% of their ideal body weight.
This level of care is usually not appropriate for anyone below 85% of their ideal body weight unless they are involved in the Maudsley Method. That is because once someone is at 85% of their ideal body weight they usually are not able to gain weight in an outpatient setting.
