MIDLAND, Texas — According to the Center of Disease Control, 7 million Americans over the age of 65 experience some form of depression every year. Senior citizens are a group that does with many mental health concerns, from depression, anxiety and even suicidal thoughts.
Executive Director at Senior Life Midland, Kathleen Kirwan-Haynie, noticed when the pandemic occurred last year, these concerns grew among her patients.
"They are isolated and alone every day so they feel these feelings of anxiety, depression or loneliness and we found that COVID really heightened that now they were really alone their family couldn't come visit or maybe their churches couldn't come visit and so it's been a real struggle for them," says Kirwan-Haynie.
Which is why Senior Life Midland and Centers for Children and Families decided to partner together to provide counseling services for local senior citizens over the age of 60.
"We're going to have in-person counseling like we are currently but in this special circumstance we will be able to do some counseling through our video program that we have that is HIPPA compliant and also telephone services whenever needed," says Melanie Saiz, Centers Marketing Director.
Medicare usually doesn't cover services like this, which is why they are being offered for free thanks to a grant that Centers received.
"We reached out to this wonderful foundation, the Carl C. Anderson and Marie Jo Anderson Foundation in Austin," says Saiz, "this was just a perfect storm, perfect solution situation and we were very glad to have an organization we could partner with to do so."
Both facilities hope that by seniors just sitting and talking with someone then they can help them get better in some way.
"We have seen many they just need to hear a familiar voice or see a kind smile and we do as much as we can through meals on wheels but it's time to partner to make sure their mental health is also taken care of," says Kirwan-Haynie.
"Mental health is for everyone. It doesn't matter your age, if ever we are aware of our mental health it is now after 2020 and the experiences we've all shared worldwide it's the best time to say it's okay to get help, do not struggle alone," says Saiz."
For more information on these counseling services, contact Centers at (432) 570-1084.