Bariatric Surgery Readiness Assessment
A psychosocial bariatric surgery readiness assessment is a thoughtful, comprehensive, and non-stigmatizing review designed to support your long-term success with bariatric surgery (i.e., weight loss surgery). Using clear, guided interviews and measures, we explore the factors that play a vital role in your motivations for surgery and relevant areas of your life that may contribute to wanting surgery, including your eating patterns, emotional well-being, physical health, life circumstances, and expectations for life after surgery. We also look at your current coping strategies, support systems, and any other lifestyle factors that might impact your surgical outcomes.
Why Is This Assessment Helpful?
- Safety and Preparation: It ensures you are physically and emotionally ready for the procedure at the present time.
- Realistic Expectations:Â It helps you understand what surgery can and cannot achieve through guided education and discussions.
- Motivations: It helps explore your motivations about surgery, and it delves into whether these motivations can be helpful in optimal surgical outcomes.
- Mental Health Support: It identifies any areas where extra support might be beneficial before or after surgery. It also helps to identify mental health concerns that may may surgery challenging or not indicated at the present time.
- Long-Term Success: It focuses on the lifestyle, behavioral, and environmental adjustments needed for lasting weight management. These discussions often centre around things you can add, but also aims to build on your existing strengths that can help facilitate a successful surgical outcome.
How Isaacs Psychology Can Help
Isaacs Psychology offers professional, evidence-based psychosocial assessments for individuals considering bariatric surgery. We provide a safe space to discuss your goals and concerns, to go through eligibility considerations, and to ensure you feel prepared for every step of the process. Following the assessment, we communicate the results and recommendations directly to you and, where appropriate, your medical/surgical team to ensure seamless, coordinated care. If any other referrals or recommendations may be helpful, we would be happy to discuss these options when we meet. All assessments adhere to current best practice guidelines.
Dr. Isaacs brings experience to bariatric surgery assessments that he has obtained working with the Healthy Living Clinic (HLC) at SickKids, as well as the Regional Bariatric Care Centre at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC).