Signs and symptoms
One-in-four older adults experiences mental health or substance use challenges. In Massachusetts alone, 31% have been diagnosed with depression, and in some communities that rate is as high at 49% (MA Healthy Aging Data Report, 2018). Not receiving help can often lead to worsening symptoms or sometimes, hospitalization.
Sometimes, the signs and symptoms of behavioral health challenges can be difficult to identify or explain, but over time, they can begin to impact a person’s daily life and keep them from engaging in the things they would normally do. As we age, understanding and meeting our changing behavioral health needs is important to having lifelong positive mental health.
Is it a sign of aging or a behavioral health challenge?
Signs of aging | Behavioral health symptoms |
---|---|
Slowing down | Zero energy |
Sometimes sad | Persistent sadness |
Napping | Tired all the time |
Behavioral health symptoms can include:
- Noticeable changes in mood, energy level, or appetite
- Feeling flat or having trouble feeling positive emotions
- Having difficulty sleeping or sleeping too much
- Having difficulty concentrating
- Increased feelings of worry, stress, or restlessness
- Feeling angry, irritable, or aggressive
- Experiencing ongoing headaches, digestive issues, or pain
- Substance use challenges (i.e., alcohol, recreational drugs, prescription drugs)
- Feeling sad or hopeless
- Having thoughts of death or suicide, or attempting suicide
- Engaging in high-risk activities (i.e., substance use, behaviors that contribute to unintentional injuries and violence)
- Obsessive thinking or compulsive behavior
- Thoughts or behaviors that interfere with work, family, or social life
- Engaging in thoughts or behaviors that are concerning to others
- Seeing, hearing, and feeling things that other people do not see, hear, or feel
Behavioral Health Challenges
When signs of behavioral health challenges are left untreated, people can start to feel anxious or socially isolated from the world around them, creating other challenges or conditions that may include:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Dementia
- Post-traumatic disorder
- Bipolar disorder
- Substance use disorder
- Psychosis
- Hoarding or compulsive collecting
Finding Support
Finding help for your behavioral health isn’t a sign of weakness—it's a sign of strength. Behavioral Health Outreach for Aging Populations is available to provide help and support to older adults and their families. Through the program, behavioral health clinicians work directly with adults experiencing emotional challenges or behavioral health conditions. The clinicians will come right to you, to your home or a location in your community where you feel most comfortable. The program can help older adults by:
- Recognizing individuals as a whole person and helping to take steps towards wellness.
- Conducting behavioral health assessments to develop personalized care plans.
- Providing one-on-one counseling to improve the person’s ability to express themselves and manage their condition(s).
- Supporting their medical needs through referrals and transportation to appointments.
- Referring to home care services for support with personal care, housekeeping, grocery shopping, and meal preparation.
- Connecting to social services providers for housing, food, and financial support.
- Encouraging individuals to participate in safe and supportive community programming to reduce isolation.
Cost and eligibility:
Behavioral Health services are free for older adults aged 60+ with symptoms or challenges related to behavioral health.
Contact:
For more information or to connect with a program in your area, contact Mass Options at 800-243-4636.
Emergency services
- There are help lines open 24/7 that offer free and confidential support in English and Spanish, as well as other languages.
- Call 9-8-8 if you or a loved one is in distress or are looking for prevention and crisis resources.
- Call or text the Behavioral Health Help Line at 833-773-2445 for real-time support, initial clinical assessment, and connection to the right evaluation and treatment.
- Community Behavioral Health Centers (CBHCs) are one-stop shops for mental health and substance use services and treatment, including 24/7 in-person crisis support. The network of CBHCs includes 26 centers across Massachusetts. Find your CBHC here.
Other resources
- Recovery Learning Communities - Peer-run networks of self-help, peer support, information and referral, advocacy, and training activities.
- Peer Recovery Support Centers - Free accessible peer-led spaces that provide individuals in recovery from substance use, as well as families and loved ones affected by addiction, the opportunity to both offer and receive support in their community environment.
- Department of Mental Health - Provides adult services to eligible individuals who meet the clinical criteria for service authorization.