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“I really think the COVID pandemic shined a light on the impact that daily stress and anxiety can cause on people,” says Lauren Gerlach, a geriatric psychiatrist and assistant professor in the department of psychiatry at the University of Michigan Medical School.
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“I see many older adults who are struggling with anxiety disorders and significant stress who would benefit from treatment. So I feel like this is a population where it’s very important to screen for anxiety,” Gerlach says.
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Treatment options for anxiety disorders run the gamut, Gerlach says, and may involve seeing a mental health specialist or therapist who can teach you various tools and techniques to help manage your anxiety. Medications may also be prescribed.
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Primary care physicians, who are also in short supply, can often help get anxiety treatments started, Gerlach says. But for people experiencing more severe symptoms, a referral to a behavioral health professional or psychiatrist may be best.
“It certainly is a concern that if we have a lot of people screening positive, we want to make sure that we have adequate resources to actually treat and provide the help that patients need,” Gerlach says.
