At the August Senior Education Network meeting, the topic was mental health affecting older adults. Lari Walter, RN, with Seniors Helping Seniors, Melissa Luebe with Clear View Behavioral Health, Janet Severance, MSW, with Pathways, and Dr. Carl Nassar with Heart Centered Counseling discussed the different issues and treatment of mental health.
Ms. Walter explained most mental health (MH) seniors need help, but don’t know where to go. They are usually are taken to the Emergency Room (ER) as medics or emergency services personnel cannot properly diagnose MH patients. Many times the senior’s medications are combined with their mental health problems, giving wrong diagnosis especially with dementia patients. Unfortunately, there is not enough or proper MH support in Larimer County or nationwide. MH patients need an assessment before sending them to the correct MH facility. Even insurance issues affect in treating MH patients.
Ms. Luebe said the toughest part for MH patients is placing them at the right MH facility or visiting them at the patient’s home. MH patients either attend a two hour therapy session or stay overnight at Clear View to get proper MH treatment. The biggest challenge with most MH patients is medication management. Clear View receives between 200 to 300 calls per month on geriatric care issues in Larimer County.
Ms. Severance indicated her organization at Pathways has been in business for over 40 years providing either hospice or palliative care plus grief counseling as needed for all ages. Follow-up with family caregivers is essential in treatment of MH patients. She said it is hard to place MH patients on Medicaid or having no insurance or even pro-bono services.
Dr. Nassar said the same is true in placing Medicaid or non-insurance MH patients. He said one in five cannot be placed, but still need help. His office has 60 therapists located in Fort Collins, Loveland, and Greeley. His office uses tele-therapy, a video conferencing program, to improve faster response and less travel time. Tele-health and tele-therapy are insurance approved. During the last four years, approximately 50% of his patients prefer the tele services versus office visits. 15% of his patients are over 65 years. The tele services will eventually cover all of Colorado.
There are multiple MH facilities in Larimer County: Pathways (970-663-3500 in FC or 970-356-4090 in Greeley), and Clear View Behavioral Health (970-461-5061) located in Johnstown, SummitStone Health Partners (970-494-4200) located in Fort Collins, Estes Park and Loveland, Health District of Larimer County (970-494-4300 in FC or their 24 hr. hotline at 970-494-4200). More MH facilities are listed in the Larimer County Resource Guide on their website: www.larimer.org/seniors/publications.htm or call at 970-498-7750 for the guide or other info.
MH Panel: (l-r) Melissa Luebe, Dr. Carl Nassar, Jan Severance, & Lari Walter