well staff writer

When we think of healthcare for older adults, too often we concentrate solely on physical wellbeing without equal concern for mental health. Mental health is, of course, crucial for a good quality of life at any age, but often takes the back seat when it comes to older adults — which is doubly worrying since studies have long shown that overall wellness, including mental healthcare, can slow the negative effects of chronic diseases and other conditions that disproportionately affect older adults, while also increasing one’s quality of life more generally. We need to destigmatize prioritizing mental health care in all ages, but especially for older adults who might be tempted to overlook mental health as a “less serious” concern.

This is in part a generational issue. Older adults are more likely to internalize stigma about seeking help with mental health than younger people, and are thus less likely to seek therapy even if they have diagnosed conditions like depression and anxiety. Because conditions like these can be stigmatized among older age groups, older adults are more likely than younger folks to “brush aside” issues with their mental health, allowing physical health concerns to take precedence. 

Loneliness and social isolation are major issues as we age, often under-addressed in clinical settings. It’s worrying that nearly one quarter of adults over 65 are considered socially isolated with many reporting feelings of loneliness, but all too often primary care physicians fail to check in on mental health in their patients. This increased isolation is tied to lifestyle patterns, like an increase in living alone, loss of family, friends and spouses, and an increase in chronic illness or other impairments later in life. Depression and anxiety, directly linked to feelings of social isolation, are common in older adults; a 2002 study found that approximately 15% of adults over 65 having clinically significant depressive disorder (compared to 9.9% in all ages). At the same time, the fact that these conditions commonly co-occur with other conditions contributes to them being overlooked by primary care physicians. 

While the ongoing COVID-19 crisis has caused a worrying uptick in mental health issues, it has simultaneously started to change older adults’ interest in telehealth options, as necessity causes many to try things they otherwise may have avoided. In a 2019 survey from the University of Michigan, only 4% of people said they had visited a healthcare provider virtually; in just the first four months of the pandemic, this number inflated to 25%, or one in four.

This jump in use is great news, because compared to other age groups, older adults tend to be wary of telehealth options for a variety of reasons (even if studies show these worries are decreasing over time). As more and more older adults get comfortable with video technologies — either through personal use to communicate with friends and family members they are unable to see because of social distancing measures, or through workshops and other events in senior living facilities — the discomfort with medical visits through this technology will also decrease. 

It is crucial that we help our older family members become more comfortable with these technologies in order to make specialist healthcare more accessible, and we at Well want to make sure that older adults feel they can ask about how technology will help with their care. In our initial consultations, we can discuss how we prioritize privacy concerns, and they can feel confident in quality of care as compared to in-person therapy [link to earlier blog]. Our aim is to make specialist mental healthcare accessible to everyone, and feel this is especially important for older adults, whose mental health is too often overlooked.

We at Well believe that telehealth therapy options are perfect for older adults in that they help build community that might otherwise not easily exist. Accessibility is paramount for us at Well, and we understand that many conditions may make it difficult to travel to seek healthcare, meaning patients must prioritize care that they feel they need most immediately. Often, this means mental healthcare is brushed aside, if it is considered at all. Telehealth options allow us to visit you in the comfort of your own home, and, should you be interested in group therapy, help build community with others who you otherwise would never meet. Telehealth can be a boon for the very feelings of loneliness that can cause mental health issues amongst older adults in the first place, as it forges connections and feelings of being seen and heard by those who care about your wellbeing. 

This connection is central. Well aims to be inclusive, and we always meet with you personally, so older adults will not feel that they must interact with an impersonal website in order to seek care. Instead, we start off with a free consultation with a licensed clinical psychologist qualified to assess your needs and answer your questions, so that we can work together to come up with a plan for you. Financial accessibility is also important to us, and we are pleased to accept Medicare. We know that mental healthcare itself might be new for many, not just mental healthcare delivered through technology, and we want to work with you to help you find the care that you need.