-
Is Technology a Social Determinant of Health?
In late March of 2020, Alicia R. called the intake line at Service Program for Older People (SPOP), a New York City-based behavioral health care provider for older adults. This was during the peak of the initial COVID-19 outbreak in New York City and all residents were advised to remain in their...
-
Caring for Older Adults and People with Mental Illness During the Pandemic
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 are served by Services for the UnderServed (S:US), a New York City-based nonprofit that is committed to giving every New...
-
Aging in Supportive Housing: One Fall Away from Institutionalization
Lucy is a 62-year-old woman who has lived in supportive housing for over a decade. She has been treated for bipolar I disorder and has a history of suicidality. Like many older adults with mental health challenges, Lucy has several chronic health problems which are monitored by her primary care...
-
Hoarding Disorder Condition: There Is Hope
Many wonder as to when collecting, saving and accumulating large quantities of things becomes a problem known as hoarding. When individuals collect items that are useless, is not functional to them or others, the individual rationalizes a need to have and are unable to let go of. So, when does a...
-
Integrated Health Care for Older Adults: A Model Partnership
When Sonia was discharged from New York-Presbyterian (NYP) hospital last winter her Care Coordinator arranged for home care, meals, nurse visits, transportation, medical equipment and prescriptions. She went home confident that she would be safe and would receive ongoing care at home as she...
-
Physical Illness, Depression, and Late-Life Suicide: Considerations and Opportunities for Enhancing Suicide Prevention
Suicide rates in the United States increased from an age-adjusted rate of 11.3/100,000 in 2007 to 14.0/100,000 in 2017 (CDC Fatal Injury Data). During that same period, rates among adults 65 and older remained higher than the national rate, climbing from 14.3 to 17.1/100,000. Increased risk for...
-
Aging Through a Strengths-Based Lens: Dreaming Big, Living Longer
Nearly 50 million Americans are over the age of 65; by 2030, that number will surpass 70 million and account for about 20% of the population. While for some, late adulthood can be a time of great fulfillment, for many, our culture’s emphasis on youth and a fast-paced life leads to a declining...
-
Approaching the Tipping Point: It’s Time to Re-Think Mental Health Care for Older Americans
The statistics are clear: Older adults are the fastest-growing segment of the U.S. population – in fact, Americans over age 65 will soon outnumber children. Data indicate that older adults are at increased risk for mental health disorders, and elder suicide in particular is a growing public...
-
Caregiver Support Group
When serious illness strikes an older adult, the family is usually on the front line for care and support. Because the burden is often so extreme, friends may be called upon for a ride to a doctor’s appointment or a home-cooked meal once in a while, but it is the spouse, domestic partner, and/or...
-
Caring for Older Adults
We are now eight years into the “elder boom.” Sadly, the implications of this vast demographic shift are still not taken seriously. Yes, there is anxiety about sustaining Social Security and Medicare. And yes, there’s increasing talk about “healthy aging.” But even with these most obvious...
