On top of all the challenges we have faced these past 2 years, recent unstable markets have intensified the stress levels in our seniors.
Financial stress is among the most common forms of stress, while anxiety and depression are two of the most common effects of financial stress. According to the senior director of health care innovation at the American Psychological Association in a CNBC article, 87% of Americans said that inflation and the rising costs of everyday goods is what’s driving their stress. Moreover, roughly 40% of Americans say their ability to be financially secure in retirement is “going to take miracle”[1]. Inflation and poor financial investment securities performance have made retirement not possible at this time for some Americans reaching traditional retirement age ranges. Some Americans are just now beginning to recover from the financial crisis of 2008, only to have another unstable economic period threaten their livelihood again.
Behavioral health services are needed more now than ever. More good news is behavioral health and mental health services are more widely accepted and embraced than ever. According to a survey by eHealth, a leading online private health insurance marketplace, they found that nearly half (48%) of seniors are “very willing” to seek mental healthcare today, compared to 35% before the pandemic[2].
I urge you to promote your programs in your communities by highlighting the stress this economy has had on our mental health. This might also be an opportunity for you to add topics during group sessions that focus on this specific subject.
Jacob Shaheen
Director of Business Development
UltraGroup Healthcare
[1] Morabito, C. (2022, May 18). Americans are more stressed about money than ever, and it’s hurting our mental health. CNBC. https://www.cnbc.com/2022/05/18/american-money-stress-mental-health.html [2] eHealth, Inc. (2022, March 4). eHealth Unveils Inaugural Report on Seniors and Mental Health int the COVID-19 Era. Business Insider. https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/ehealth-unveils-inaugural-report-on-seniors-and-mental-health-in-the-covid-19-era-1031255367
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