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Stability, Wisdom, and Strength: Older Adults in Supported Housing
This article is part of a quarterly series giving voice to the perspectives of individuals with lived experiences as they share their opinions on a particular topic. The authors of this column facilitated a focus group of their peers to inform this writing. The authors are served by Services for...
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Substance Misuse in Older Adults
In recognition of the State’s commitment to healthy aging, the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) designated New York as the first Age-Friendly State in the nation. The Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) recognizes that a key component of healthy aging is...
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Telephonic Care Management Program for Patients with Medicare
In this important issue on care for the elderly in Behavioral Health News, we hope to highlight the success of our telephonic care management service to the aging population at The Institute for Family Health’s (IFH) network of community health centers in New York City and upstate New York....
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The Mental Health Needs of Older Adults
Our society continues to age, and it is estimated that by 2030 there will be more than 75 million Americans over the age of 65. The population of older adults (60 YO+) is growing faster than any other age group. According to Institute of Medicine, 1 in 5 older adults will experience at least one...
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The NYSPA Report: Mental Health and the Geriatric Population
I am pleased to share with you an interview we conducted with Dilip Jeste, MD, Professor, Department of Psychiatry at the University of California, San Diego. He is also a past President of the American Psychiatric Association and a member of the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation Scientific...
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What Do Age and Disability Mean in Our Culture
People with disabilities come in all ages, and almost all of us encounter some change in physical or mental capacity as we grow old. Yet, we act as though old people never become disabled and disabled people never grow old. Academics and policymakers approach disability and aging as separate...
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A Comprehensive Look at What’s Needed to Age in Place with Dignity
Former First Lady, Rosalynn Carter stated, “There are only four kinds of people in the world: those who have been caregivers, those who are currently caregivers, those who will be caregivers, and those who will need caregivers.” Caregiving for the elderly is a growing phenomenon in the...
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A Geriatric Substance Abuse Recovery Program
Substance abuse among the geriatric population is often overlooked or ignored, despite the finding that almost a fifth of older adults misuse drugs and/or alcohol (Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, 2012), and evidence showing the detrimental impact of substance abuse on elders’ quality of...
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Responding to the Mental Health Needs of the Aging
Aging is an inevitable part of life. As we get older, we often think of physical problems such an aching back or pain in our knees. But the elderly also have considerable mental health needs, as well. Here at the Office of Mental Health (OMH), we’ve been looking at innovative interventions to...
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Deaths of Despair: Social Research Suggests Troubling Trends for the Next Generation of Older Adults
Recent social research suggests that the next generation of older adults may be more troubled than the current and previous generations. This, of course, is counterintuitive. 70 is the new 50, we say; 80 the new 60. We are living longer, and we are healthier, right? Yes, but will the next...
