NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Large majorities of older Americans with depression, anxiety, or other mental health disorders are receiving treatment that does not meet evidence-based standards, and many do not know that depression can put their health at increased risk, according to a national survey, Silver and Blue: The Unfinished Business of Mental Health Care for Older Adults, released today by the John A. Hartford Foundation.

The survey focused on 1,318 Americans age 65 and older. Key findings include:

Depression is a common and serious medical condition second only to heart disease in causing disability as well as harm to peoples health and quality of life. Mental health problems affect nearly one in five older adults, according to the Institute of Medicine. Depression is not a natural part of the aging process, but almost one in three people surveyed (27%) believed it was.

It is a needless tragedy that so many older people are still receiving mental health care that does not measure up, said Christopher Langston, PhD, program director for the John A. Hartford Foundation, which funded and directed the survey.

For a complete list of findings, including care preferences, shortcomings in care, reasons for stopping treatment, stigma, and misconceptions, please visit: http://www.jhartfound.org/learning-center/?p=371.

Like being in a dark hole that you cant get out of

The survey also asked how it felt to be depressed or anxious, eliciting open-ended answers that reveal serious pain and disability. Respondents described feeling, that no one cares or loves you; like being in a glass cage; like a weight in my chest; and like you would prefer to be dead.

Serious shortfalls in the quality of mental health care

People 65 and over and currently in treatment for depression, anxiety or other mental health issues were asked whether their provider took any of six specific actions, all of which have been shown to improve outcomes dramatically and are key elements of evidence-based collaborative care models.

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National Poll: Most Older Adults Receive Ineffective Depression and Anxiety Care, Don’t Know Associated Health Risks