Dr. Ashok Bharucha, MD
Geriatric Psychiatrist | Geriatric Psychiatry
143 Edgewood Drive W South Abington Twp PA, 18411Rating
3/5
About
Dr. Ashok Bharucha is a geriatric psychiatrist practicing in South Abington Township and Bloomsburg, PA. Dr. Bharucha specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders, particularly in older adults. Patients who visit geriatric psychiatrists typically look for help with problems such as memory loss, depression, difficulty coping with change, stress, dementia, anxiety and more. Older adults may also experience emotional distress after being diagnosed with a disease as well. Dr. Bharucha helps patients after a comprehensive diagnostic exam so the root of their problems can be treated.
Education and Training
Bucknell University BA 1988
Penn State College of Medicine MD 1992
Harvard Medical School/McLean Adult psychiatry residency 1996
University of Washington SOM Geriatric psychiatry fellow 1997
Middlebury College MA 2017
Board Certification
Psychiatry and NeurologyAmerican Board of Psychiatry and NeurologyABPN- Geriatric Psychiatry
Provider Details
Dr. Ashok Bharucha, MD's Expert Contributions
What can grandmother take for anxiety?
The first step would be a medical evaluation to rule out medical causes of anxiety such as thyroid problems, amongst many others. The list of issues that can result in anxiety is very long, so ideally, an evaluation with a geriatric psychiatrist or a counselor who specializes in the care of older adults would be helpful. It's important to treat the causes of the symptom, and not just the symptom, to avoid complications. For example, individuals who are dementing often experience "abandonment anxiety" when left alone (out of sight, out of mind), even when you are just in another room. READ MORE
Can you help with smoking addiction?
Yes there are medication and cognitive behavioral therapy options. READ MORE
Is depression common among elders?
Depression is common especially as one moves from community settings to hospitals to longterm care. Late-life depression is certainly treatable but tends to be more brittle, requiring close monitoring. READ MORE
Can you fix the alcohol addiction?
With comprehensive care - AA, individual therapy, and possibly medications, many individuals eventually succeed. READ MORE
How to help an overweight elderly woman?
I assume her physician has already done a workup for medical causes of weight gain. If so, an evaluation with a geriatric psychiatrist may be helpful in determining if there is an undiagnosed mental health issue that may be treated and which may assist with weight management. The treatment will depend on the underlying issues discovered through the evaluation process. READ MORE
Do people with dementia get geriatric depression?
Yes. Depression with onset later in life is itself a risk factor for dementia. As the brain changes due to dementia, it predisposes individuals to depression as well as other psychological and behavioral problems. READ MORE
How serious is geriatric depression?
If the diagnosis is accurate, yes, depression in later life can contribute to medical, cognitive, and other problems, including suicide, particularly in older white males. READ MORE
Should I see a doctor for panic attacks?
Yes, the possibility of an underlying medical problem such as heart disease or thyroid problem need to be ruled out, in addition to treating the attacks either with cognitive behavioral therapy and/or medications. READ MORE
What doctor treats alcohol addiction?
Typically an adult psychiatrist would be able to help. Depending on the complexity of the problem, there are psychiatrists who specialize in addictions too. READ MORE
What can older patients take for geriatric depression?
Yes antidepressants are commonly used after a medical work up if no medical issues are identified and talk therapy or other interventions are hard to access or person prefers medication. READ MORE
How do I help my grandmother's loneliness?
By a home, Im not sure if you mean a group home or an assisted living. Usually the best option is to encourage the same activities, modified for age and physical limitations, that the person enjoyed before. Senior centers often provide socialization that many find enjoyable once they get over the idea of going. If its an assisted living facility, they should have structured activities that she can participate in too. Although challenging, best option usually is finding a way to remain engaged with things and people they enjoyed before. READ MORE
Will hospice worsen my grandmother's mental health?
No, usually hospice is well equipped and skilled to deal with all comfort issues, including mental health. READ MORE
How is dementia different from Alzheimer's?
Dementia is a very general term for a wide range of conditions that lead to impairments in memory, learning, and ability to care for self. Alzheimers is just one type of dementia. Others include Parkinsons disease, frontotemporal dementia, Lewy body dementia, etc. READ MORE
How should I deal with mom's depression associated with Parkinson's?
Hi, depression is quite common in Parkinson's disease due to destruction of the nerve cells that modulate mood. Typically, an antidepressant is required to manage depression such as this that has at least a partial basis in brain pathology. Of course, she may also benefit from psychotherapy that allows her to cope with the limitations imposed by the condition. READ MORE
What are the symptoms of geriatric depression?
They certainly can be. A basic medical work up to explore medical causes of mood changes such as thyroid disease would be prudent. Symptoms of later life depression are largely similar to earlier ages: sleep and appetite disturbances, low energy, inability to experience joy, slowed thinking and movements, and not uncommonly, cognitive problems such as poor focus or forgetfulness. READ MORE
What are the warning signs of Alzheimer's?
Often, the early signs tend to be short-term memory loss, word finding deficits, difficulty navigating spaces, and possibly mood changes or anxiety. There is a long list of medical and neurological conditions that can lead to confusion so ideally he needs a full work up which at a minimum would include blood work to rule out reversible causes of mental status changes, possibly a CT or MRI brain, psychiatric or neurological evaluation, and possibly formal cognitive testing. There are many types of dementia and accurate diagnosis helps with treatment and life planning. READ MORE
My friend doesn't take care of her mother. Is this elder abuse?
Neglect can be a form of elder abuse, especially if basic life needs are not being met in a way that might jeopardize safety or health. Depending on where you live, the state's division on aging typically has caseworkers who can make a home visit to evaluate the situation. READ MORE
What is the best medicine for bipolar?
All medications, if properly dosed and used for a long enough period of time to take effect, are EQUALLY effective. What distinguishes the medications is their pharmacology, side effect profile, drug-drug and drug-disease interactions, etc. So, for example, someone who has kidney or thyroid disease may not be a good candidate for therapy with lithium. Someone who has liver disease may not be an ideal candidate for Depakote. There may be individuals for whom weight gain could be problematic because they are diabetic or have other medical concerns; in that case, medications that are more weight neutral would be preferred. This would be a general way of thinking about psychiatric medications of any class. READ MORE
How can I help my grandmother with her depression?
Hi, I think she needs a consultation with a geriatrically trained psychiatrist. If one is not available, you might want to start with her primary care doctor. She may need a routine medical workup for depression, talk therapy, and possibly medication. READ MORE
Why do some senior citizens avoid seeing the doctor?
The list of reasons is quite long, but some factors could include: 1. They may not be able to afford care due to restrictive insurance coverages, deductibles, and copays. 2. Transportation to and from appointments may be an issue. 3. They have cognitive impairment and are unable to manage scheduling appointments, etc. 4. They may be depressed or anxious and not seek out care or may not have the energy or motivation to do so. 5. Their insight might be limited and they do not feel they need care, or they've had a prior traumatic experience in the medical system that becomes a barrier. 6. There may be cultural barriers such as a different understanding of what's causing the symptoms. These are just some of the barriers that play a role. READ MORE
Expert Publications
Data provided by the National Library of Medicine- Predictors of nursing facility admission: a 12-year epidemiological study in the United States.
- Motivations for physician-assisted suicide.
- Why now? Timing and circumstances of hastened deaths.
- Psychotherapy in long-term care: A review.
- Family member involvement in hastened death.
- Intelligent video monitoring to improve safety of older persons.
- Prevalence of behavioral symptoms: comparison of the minimum data set assessments with research instruments.
- Resident-to-resident aggression in long-term care facilities: insights from focus groups of nursing home residents and staff.
- In-home monitoring of persons with dementia: ethical guidelines for technology research and development.
- Late-life suicide: a review.
Areas of expertise and specialization
Professional Memberships
- American Psychiatric Association
- American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry
- American Geriatrics Society
Areas of research
Behavioral disturbances of dementia
Dr. Ashok Bharucha, MD's Practice location
Transformations: Adult and Geriatric Psychiatry PC
143 Edgewood Drive W -South Abington Twp, PA 18411Get Direction
Bloomsburg, PA 17815Get Direction
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Dr. Ashok Bharucha, MD's reviews
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Get to know Psychiatrist Dr. Ashok Bharucha, who serves patients in Pennsylvania.
Regarded as thoughtful and attentive, Dr. Bharucha is a seasoned adult and geriatric psychiatrist with over 30 years of clinical, research, administrative, and teaching experience. He currently operates a private practice, Transformations: Adult and Geriatric Psychiatry, PC, conveniently located in South Abington Township, Pennsylvania.
As the lead professional at Transformations: Adult and Geriatric Psychiatry, PC, Dr. Barucha aims to establish a collaborative therapeutic relationship with every patient that not only enhances their sense of well-being but also furthers their aspirations for achieving their full potential. He approaches his work from an existential and humanistic standpoint, allowing clients to narrate their singular stories that reveal their hopes, passions, and dreams.
Born in India, Dr. Bharucha was raised in the United States for most of his childhood. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Chemistry and German, Cum Laude, with departmental honors in German from Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. He then went on to earn his medical degree from the Penn State College of Medicine in 1992.
Furthering his training, he completed his postgraduate work at Harvard Medical School, McLean Hospital (four months, geriatric and addiction psychiatry), Massachusetts General Hospital (two months, neurology), and Mount Auburn Hospital (6 months, medical internship).
Following this initial postgraduate period, Dr. Bharucha completed his residency in adult psychiatry at McLean Hospital from 1993 until 1996, and his fellowship in geriatric psychiatry at the University of Washington School of Medicine, under Richard Veith, from 1996 until 1997.
Most recently, in 2017, Dr. Bharucha earned his Master of Arts degree from Bread Loaf School of English in Vermont.
Board-certified in psychiatry, he is a Diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN). The ABPN is a not-for-profit corporation dedicated to promoting high quality patient care for the public through the initial and continuing certification of psychiatrists and neurologists.
An experienced dementia and late-life disorders specialist, Dr. Bharucha is highly-trained in adult and geriatric psychiatry, as well as in the management of conditions at the interface of neurology, medicine, and psychiatry. He pursues the best outcomes for patients through a combination of pharmacology (psychoactive medications) and psychotherapy (talk therapy).
With more than 30 years in the psychiatric field, including over ten years as a senior psychiatric medicine practitioner, his clinical experience includes stretches as an adult and geriatric psychiatrist at such organizations as Generations Geriatric Mental Health, Eliot Hospital (2015 – present).
His experience in academia includes several professorial appointments within various institutions, including serving as an Adjunct Assistant Professor at Carnegie Mellon University (2002 – present).
Maintaining long-standing memberships in a number of scientific and professional societies, Dr. Bharucha is a member of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry, the American Psychiatric Association, the American Geriatrics Society, the American Medical Directors’ Association, the American Neuropsychiatric Association, the International Psychogeriatric Association, and the Gerontological Society of America.
Psychiatry is the medical specialty devoted to the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of mental disorders. These include various maladaptations related to mood, behavior, cognition, and perceptions. Psychiatrists evaluate, diagnose, and treat patients with mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders. They conduct thorough psychiatric evaluations, develop treatment plans, prescribe medication, and evaluate treatment results.
Throughout his extensive career, Dr. Bharucha has earned several academic and professional honors, including Fellowship with the American Psychoanalytic Association (1996-1997); An Ethics Committee Chairmanship at the Mental Health Center of Greater Manchester (1999); Three Golden Apple Teacher of the Year Award Nominations at WPIC between 2001 and 2003; Golden Apple Teacher of the Year Award at WPIC in 2002; Golden Apple Psychiatry Teacher of the Year Award at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine (2002); Excellence in Education Award in the Small Group Facilitator Category at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine (2004); and Outstanding Mentor nomination at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. He was also named one of America’s Top Physicians by the Consumers’ Research Council of America each year from 2007 to the present, and Best Doctors in America honors between 2009 and 2010.
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701 EAST 16TH STREET BERWICK PA 18603