Mental Health Challenges and Concerns in the Older Adult Population Presented by Amber Stanley, MSW, LCSW, to the

Orange County Commission on Aging, Community Partnerships Committee, November !"#$ % My name is Amber Stanley, and & am a psychotherapist$ & 'ocus on grie' and loss issues, concerns 'acing older adults, and coping (ith change challenges$ Some o' the most common types o' mental health concerns in the older adult population include an)iety* severe cognitive loss* substance abuse* the + ,-s . delirium, dementia, depression, / delusions* and, P0S,$ % Appro)imately !1 o' people age 223 have some type o' diagnosed mental health disorder$ 0(o4thirds o' nursing home residents have a mental illness or psychiatric symptoms$ As the population o' older adults increases, so (ill the number o' older adults (ho have a mental health concern$ And, by !#!, the number o' older adults (ith mental health concerns 5including substance disorder6 is e)pected to higher than the number o' youth (ith mental health concerns$ % Mental health pro'essionals do see a rise in the number o' cases o' alcohol and substance abuse in the elder population$ Appro)imately "71 o' the older adult population abuses alcohol, substances or medications$ 8easons 'or this increase include the (ay our bodies absorb alcohol and medication changes as (e age, as (ell as the combination o' multiple medications and alcohol$ &n !!", "$7 million older adults needed substance abuse treatment and this number is pro9ected to increase to +$+ million by ! !$ % 0he number o' suicides in the :$S$ population has increased "#1 since !"! and is currently at the highest level it-s been in " years$ 0he highest rate o' suicide is in the older adult population . speci'ically males$ Older Americans comprise "#1 o' the :$S$ population, but account 'or !1 o' all suicides$ $ % Some o' the industry challenges include; &nade<uate mental health coverage* &nade<uate number o' mental health providers that 'ocus on the older adult population* Lac= o' coordination bet(een providers, physicians and the public* Stigma o' mental health illness* >arriers to access 5such as a lac= o' transportation6$ % When elders do as= <uestions, their primary care physician does not have the time to devote to the discussion 5o''ice visits are typically short6 and many physicians lac= training on mental health issues$ 0hus, mental health needs are o'ten misdiagnosed$ % Less than #1 o' elders (ho need mental health services, see a mental health provider 'or treatment$ ?urthermore, less than "1 o' mental health providers speciali@e in the care o' older adults$ One o' the reasons that pro'essionals do not speciali@e in the care o' elders is that Medicare is slo( to reimburse and rates are lo($ % Mental health challenges can have a direct e''ect on a person-s physical health$ Aven mild depression or grie' can lo(er a person-s immunity$

% 0here is also a 'ailure o' all parties . elders, 'amilies, physicians . to recogni@e emerging mental health needs, especially (hen they occur later in li'e$ 0here is also an impression that depression is a normal part o' aging$ % Added to this is the 'act that there is no one agency that coordinates the mental health needs o' elders$ &t is a very comple) net(or=$ % 0he costs o' not treating the mental health needs o' elders is signi'icant$ #B1 o' outpatient visits are related to mental health concerns$ C"1 o' outpatient costs are related to mental health concerns$ 7!1 o' primary care visits are driven by psychological 'actors such as panic, an)iety, depression, somati@ation, stress, ad9ustment disorder issues$ % &n summary, distressed patients utili@e health care at a rate 4# times higher than paitents (ho are not psychologically distressed$

0he problem, as & see it, is that (e are all getting older, but (e live in a very age4denying and ageist society$ So the problems o' older adults are largely ignored, 'unds allocated else(here, etc$ And it-s a bigger problem because there are going to be more older adults than ever be'ore$ &-ve brought up some o' the challenges, and probably more <uestions$ So & as=; (hat are (e going to do about itD 0H&S A??AC0S :S ALL$
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