In an important recent article in The New York Times, writer Paula Span raised a valuable topic that many find taboo to discuss: that is, seeking out mental health therapy as an older adult. Lord knows the past many months have led many of us to the brink of despair: We may feel lonely, isolated, worried about family, friends, or finances, or perhaps even grieving the loss of loved ones or just our old way of life. If we were already teetering before the pandemic, the ongoing crisis has only exacerbated the anxieties and distress many of us were already feeling. Even without COVID, mental health therapy may be valuable for older adults dealing with issues such as ageism, relationship or retirement worries, and adaptation to the disabilities or diminished state that may come from aging.

Alternatively, we may see in an older loved one signs of distress that worry us enough to consider finding them a therapist. For example, according to Medline, if you observe symptoms including changes in mood, energy level, eating or sleeping, confusion, forgetfulness, or perhaps withdrawal from the wider world, a mental illness such as depression may be the cause- and may be amenable to treatment or therapy if only such help could be found. The question then becomes, given the pandemic, where to find such help, and how to pay for it?

And as Span points out, older people can do very well in therapy and may be especially motivated to resolve issues that are affecting their mindsets or quality of life. As a start, it’s useful to know what Medicare pays for and what it does not. Traditional Medicare does provide for an annual free depression screen and will pay for individual and group psychotherapy, with the patient paying 20% of the Medicare-approved amount for a participating provider. The problem is, however, that many psychiatrists will not accept new Medicare patients and Medicare will not cover every other type of therapist. There is also a shortage of geriatric psychologists, which did not even become a recognized subspecialty in psychology until the 2010s.

Still, there are resources online to help you or a loved one connect with help, including providers who will accept Medicare or will allow for sliding scale payments. One valuable byproduct of the pandemic: Online therapy has taken off as a valuable mode of patient-therapist interaction so that in some ways, therapeutic help for mental health distress is even more widely available than previously. Therapy practices that were previously almost exclusively outpatient and in person have now successfully transformed into teletherapy practices. So where to look for help? For starters, ask your primary care provider or even a friend for a referral, or try searching the database of the American Association of Geriatric Psychiatrists here. You can also access a range of therapists with an array of options and fees, including teletherapy and Medicare-accepting therapists, by searching the database of GoodTherapy here. Finally, Psychology Today has a link to help you access Medicare-accepting providers, so pull out your Medicare card and click here.