AUSTIN – Many folks have acknowledged dealing with more anxiety since the pandemic hit. But even before that, seniors were experiencing increased mental and behavioral health challenges, according to a new report.
The annual report from the UnitedHealth Foundation found that between 2016 and 2019, people age 65 and older have seen increases in drug-related deaths, suicide and frequent mental stress, nationwide.
In Texas specifically, said Dr. Rhonda Randall, executive vice president and chief medical officer of UnitedHealthcare Employer and Individual, seniors have renewed a habit many had given up.
“More seniors reported that they were smoking in Texas in the year 2019 than they did in 2017,” she said, “by a magnitude of 63%.”
Randall warned that smoking has a high correlation with heart disease, cancers and many other medical conditions. In contrast, the report said Texans older than age 65 increased their physical exercise by 51% in the same two-year timespan, and ate fruits and vegetables at a higher rate than did their counterparts in many other states.
Randall said older Texans also are getting more sleep than older residents of most other states, and – if they need it – can more readily rely on home health care.
“And they have access to home health-care workers,” she said. “There are more home health-care workers per capita in Texas than there are in many other states.”
Nationally, flu vaccinations among seniors were up in 2019 versus the two-year period prior to that by 6%. But by far, Randall said, the most worrisome trend is older people reporting health issues because they spend so much time alone.
“We saw a risk of social isolation continue to increase in this year’s report,” she said. “We know that there is a significant correlation between social isolation and overall health, and in particular, behavioral health.”
By 2050, people older than 65 are expected to be about one-fifth of the total U.S. population. The authors said they hope the 2021 Senior Report will help leaders set future public-health priorities.
Author: Roz Brown – Public News Service (TX)
