155 Mental Health Concerns and The Older Adult
older adult client using telemedicine. The ATA has created guidelines for telemed- icine. However, the guideline only ad- dresses live video conferencing for men- tal health services (Tusaie & Fitzpatrick, 2017). Other forms of communication such as phone text messaging, social me- dia, apps, and emails are not covered by the ATA. The healthcare worker is encour- aged to refer all questions to their place of employment. The same considerations the healthcare worker would utilize for in- person visits for securing protected infor- mation exist for telemedicine. The older adult client would need access to stable Internet as well as reliable video and audio services on a Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)–compli- ant site prior to medical use (Johnson et al., 2021). Barriers to utilizing telemedi- cine must be weighed when considering this approach for mental healthcare for the older adult. To increase the potential benefits of telemedicine, the healthcare worker can interview the older adult as well as their family, friends, or caregivers when as- sessing the inclusion of telemedicine for mental healthcare. There are other tech- nological gains for a willing and able cli- ent. Apps related to, for example, healthy coping techniques, exercise logs, medi- cation reminders, and communication can enhance the quality of life and safety of the older adult. Technology can strength- en mental healthcare for the older adult; however, the healthcare worker must pru- dently examine the initial and continued feasibility of its use. Stigma Mental healthcare access and quali - ty can also be affected by stigma. Racial inequalities have been found in this so- cial determinant of health. Research has
found that African Americans experience greater amounts of stigma surrounding mental health treatment than other Amer- icans (Conner et al., 2010). The basis and continued existence of mental health stigma for African Americans is unclear; however, the rates of access to mental healthcare are undeniable. Stigma is a mental healthcare barrier that the health- care worker should not ignore. More than half of people suffering with mental ill- nesses do not get help (APA, 2020). Old- er adults can be unwilling to seek mental healthcare due to feelings of shame and guilt; these same patients, who are willing to receive treatment from their primary care provider, are often reluctant to seek mental health specialty care until their symptoms are severe (SAMHSA, 2021). Stigma can trap the older adult and cause them to suffer silently. It can drive an old- er adult to feel the loss of dignity and re- inforce isolation, which perpetuates lone- liness (APA, 2020). The healthcare worker should be equipped to help reduce the feelings around stigmas. Suggestions to help reduce the stigma of mental illness include the following (APA, 2020): ● Encourage the client to talk openly about mental health (share with others). ● Empower the client to stand up to misconceptions (give them facts and data). ● Be aware of the language used (this goes for words you say or they say; humor is acceptable but in the proper context). ● Educate the client about the importance of mental illness (draw comparisons to how they would treat someone with a physical illness).
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