An estimated 40 to 70 percent of caregivers live with depression, anxiety or both, according to the Family Caregiver Alliance. And, a study by the American Association of Geriatric Psychiatry reports that nearly 20 percent of adults aged 55+ experience a mental health condition, including cognitive impairments or mood disorders.
With the expected population of adults 65 and older expected to reach 80 million by 2045, there’s a clear need to address better access to improved mental health services.
Through the Insights Initiative, part of the California-based SCAN Health Plan community service program Independence at Home, social workers and family therapists used evidence-based practices to treat depression, anxiety, distress, grief, loneliness and other symptoms in seniors in their home and in their primary language.
Senior-producer Liz Seegert recently spoke Denise Likar, vice president of Independence at Home, about this innovative approach to delivering behavioral health services to seniors and their caregivers.
You can listen to the interview here:
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