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Supporting Socially Isolated Seniors
For many seniors, especially those who live alone, life can become progressively more challenging and isolating, compromising their ability to age well and safely in place. According to a report from the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine, nearly one-quarter of adults age 65...
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Enhancing Geriatric Behavioral Health: Best-Practices and Technology-Assisted Care Solutions
As the United States grapples with the realities of an aging population, the importance of adapting our health and social service system of care to meet the needs of older adults has never been more critical. In 2020, approximately one in six people in the U.S. were aged 65 or over, highlighting a...
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Treatment Services for Older Adults with Substance Use Disorders
As the leader of Odyssey House, one of the largest non-profit residential and outpatient treatment providers in New York City, I have witnessed firsthand the growing need for specialized services tailored to those struggling with addiction, including older adults. While substance use disorders can...
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Expand Harm Reduction Services to Address Impact of Overdose Crisis on Older Adults
The devastating impact of the overdose crisis in the United States has been well-documented, affecting people from all backgrounds, demographics, and geographic regions. The data tells us that one age group in particular has been overlooked in the overdose crisis – older adults. The rate...
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How to Approach Treating Older Adults with Complex Mental and Physical Care Needs
Roughly 14% of adults over age 60 (WHO, 2023) live with a mental health condition. As the geriatric population continues to grow (Urban Institute, n.d.), so do its rates of mental distress, depression, and drug deaths (Wilson, 2024). The behavioral health industry must prepare for treating more...
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Caring for Older Adults With Depression
The population of older adults in the United States is growing at an unprecedented rate. From 2010-2020, the number of Americans aged 65 or older grew by 34%, with no signs of slowing down (United States Census Bureau, 2020). This large aging population presents several challenges for the...
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Addressing Social Isolation and Loneliness in Older Adults
Social isolation and loneliness are health risks that affect a quarter of American adults 65 and older (National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, 2020). Social isolation is defined as the objective state of having few social relationships or infrequent social contact with others,...
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Behavioral Healthcare for Older Adults: It’s All About Resiliency
It is with great excitement that I step into the role of CEO of Service Program for Older People (SPOP), a position I assumed on July 1 following the retirement of our long-time CEO, Nancy Harvey. It is a tremendous honor to be entrusted with the leadership of an agency that has transformed the...
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Supporting Seniors: Challenges and Solutions for Tomorrow
As the United States undergoes a profound demographic transformation, the aging population poses unprecedented challenges and opportunities. The proportion of individuals over 65 is projected to swell from 18% today to 23% by 2054, with the number of centenarians set to quadruple. This...
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Meeting the Behavioral Health Needs of Today’s Older Adults: Considerations for Innovation
Between 2010 and 2020, the US experienced the largest-ever 10-year gain for those in the >65 age bracket, with an increase of 15.5 million people. According to the US Census Bureau, one in four Americans will be age 65 or older by 2060 (Caplan, 2023). Although today’s expanding older adult...
