TRI-COUNTY — A program housed in the Big Bend Regional Hospital provides crucial mental healthcare services that brighten the lives of seniors, improve their physical condition, and offer them a chance to share their experiences with peers on the challenges of getting older.
Senior Life Solutions — which provides counseling and wellness programs to those 65 and older — coordinates counseling to help those aging deal with issues like grief, depression, isolation and living with physical health care problems, said Sarah Schutz, the program’s coordinator. The primary counseling offered is through group therapy sessions, which Schutz said works well for peers facing the same challenges. “They bond and work things out, because they are facing things at the same time and going through what others are going through,” she said.
The licensed professional counselor running the sessions, Jay Downing, agreed that the model works well for seniors. “They may be suffering from depression and grief,” he said. “A lot of time they’ve lost family members and spouses. And they are suffering from anxiety.” Downing, who also teaches psychology at Sul Ross State University, added: “I think group therapy is a great way to explore things together. Their challenges are not unique. They support one another.”
Senior Life Solutions began about six years ago when area mental healthcare professionals recognized the need for specialized services for seniors. Jennifer Pittinger, the programs office patient coordinator, said that just like any population, older people may have concerns about the stigma of mental healthcare, but that older residents of the Big Bend region may have another layer of thought that makes them initially resistant to therapy. “They may have that West Texas pride that we’re so proud and strong –– we can do it on our own,” Pittinger said.
Shutz said that their clients ultimately find a support system that sometimes also serves as a way to socially connect to others. The program touts the benefits of that interaction as cognitive stimulation, enhanced coping skills, and emotional support and validation. Additionally, it stresses that research shows that “addressing mental health concerns through therapy can lead to the better management of chronic conditions, reduced healthcare utilization, and improved overall quality of life.”
Schutz said she’s witnessed the transformation in clients becoming more engaged and active. “One lady, she’s waiting at the door [before therapy] ready to go, and she says after group sessions her [physical] pain goes away.”
Pittinger said she sees the changes too. “That’s the great thing about this job, seeing the positive outcomes.”
Schutz said the group therapy sessions are designed for 10 people maximum, but that Senior Life Solutions can “open another track” of sessions if there is a need in the community. Group therapy participants are usually within driving distance to Alpine, but the program can also coordinate remote services if necessary. She noted that one participant, a 102-year-old woman, has logged in remotely. So, there technically is no defined service area to participate in the sessions. The program also is exploring a group session in Presidio, Schutz said.
The program takes most insurance, including Medicare, and works with potential clients to acquire any insurance needed, Schutz said. The goal is to make sure seniors don’t face any financial burden to participate. “We don’t want an out-of-pocket expense to fall on patients,” she said.
“Our ultimate goal is building strong communities and supporting healthy, happy seniors,” Pittinger said. “Our seniors deserve a good foundation of mental health as they age.”
For more information on Senior Life Solutions services, call 432-837-0455 or see https://bigbendhealthcare.com/senior-life-solutions.
This story is part of a series on mental health in the Big Bend funded by the Presidio Community Fund.