With America’s older adult population expected to nearly double by 2050, the need for specialized age-appropriate mental health services has never been greater. Riverside’s Lynnfield Outpatient Center has risen to meet this challenge through a ten-year partnership with Mystic Valley Elder Services (serving the towns of Everett, Malden, Medford, Melrose, North Reading, Reading, Saugus, Stoneham, Wakefield) and the Massachusetts Behavioral Health Outreach for Aging Populations (BHOAP) program.
Dedicated Care for Growing Needs
Two specialized clinicians, Isabelle Olsson and Katherine Gilpatrick, serve approximately 100 older adult clients. They receive 2-3 new weekly referrals and have a waiting list of 12-13 individuals at any given time. They address a constellation of stressors unique to older adults, including social isolation, health changes, and multiple forms of grief and loss.
Beyond traditional bereavement, many clients experience profound losses of independence, home, and health. Many are dealing with compounding factors where mental health intersects with physical decline. Dementia may affect mental health treatment, while deteriorating physical health can exacerbate psychological distress. Some clients are facing end-of-life issues and receiving hospice care, adding another layer of complexity to their therapeutic needs.
Breaking Down Barriers
The program eliminates common obstacles that can prevent older adults from accessing mental health care. Mystic Valley Elder Services covers costs if they don’t have billable insurance, putting to rest worries about affordability concerns and insurance complications. Therapy is available in clients’ homes or senior housing facilities, as well as online through telehealth, removing common transportation and mobility barriers.
Most importantly, clients connect with therapists who understand their individual reality. “It’s important to understand their experiences,” notes a clinician. “For instance, being able to talk about medications, types of walkers, and other aspects of their daily reality.”
Tailored Therapeutic Approaches
Working with older adults often requires modifying traditional therapy methods. In a person-centered approach, clinicians follow their clients’ lead. Older adults often want to share memories, and clinicians understand that reminiscence serves important psychological and emotional functions at this stage of life. And as one client observed, “Senior center living is often like high school!” highlighting the unique social dynamics these individuals navigate.
Client feedback underscores the effectiveness of this approach. One client shared, “I’ve never been able to talk to someone about my life like this. For this hour, I’m not in so much pain. It gets my mind off it.”
For clinicians, the work offers unique rewards. As Isabelle Olsson reflects, “We are all aging, all the time. This work is especially gratifying to me as I am aging and learning along with my clients.”
A Model for the Future
As America’s aging population undergoes a dramatic demographic shift, the Lynnfield Outpatient Center’s program serves as a guide for older adult mental health care. By reducing access barriers, demonstrating true understanding, and adapting therapeutic approaches to meet unique needs, the program shows that effective mental healthcare for our rapidly aging society is both possible and essential.
