County Supervisors seek mental health access for older adults

SAN JOSE – Earlier this month, the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors approved a proposal aiming to assess and respond to older adult mental health needs in the County. The proposal from County Supervisor Joe Simitian, co-authored by County Supervisor Susan Ellenberg, directs County staff to analyze programs currently available for older adults to access mental health care, and provide recommendations on how those programs can better address the unique challenges older adults are facing. 

“We know our community is aging rapidly, and that our programs and services must keep up with our changing demographics,” said Simitian. “Our County has done significant work around youth mental health services, and services for adults in general; but I want a better sense of whether or not our services are meeting the particular needs of older adults.”

By 2030, adults aged 65 years and older will make up twenty percent of the County’s population. According to a 2019 report from the County’s Department of Aging and Adult Services, by 2035 older adults will outnumber children in the County for the first time, five years sooner than the nation as a whole. 

A World Health Organization article from October 2023 lists depression, social isolation, anxiety, memory loss, declining cognitive ability, bereavement, and abuse as challenges that particularly affect the mental health of older adults.

Chronic health challenges can negatively affect an individual's mental health as their ability to maintain or form new connections, or even engage in routine trips, may be hampered by mobility challenges. Social stigma still plays a strong role in older adults refusing to seek mental health services. And financial concerns may be a barrier for older adults to overcome when they do seek out mental health services.

“The factors that contribute to mental health issues that older adults face are varied, and unique to that population,” said Jeff Blum, Chairperson of the Los Gatos Community Health & Senior Services Commission. “There is help currently out there, but many seniors don’t know where to turn. Identifying what those services are, and what non-profits provide them, could be a great first step to tackling this issue.”

Pointing to the recently completed Adult Caregiver Study, which provided a comprehensive report of older adult caregiving needs and capacity within the County, and provided recommendations to address the identified gaps, Simitian said, “We don’t know what we don’t know. The Adult Caregiver Study identified gaps in service that, anecdotally, we may have been aware of but hadn’t quantified in a measurable way.” Simitian continued, “However, we can’t move to help our older adults effectively until we have a clearer understanding of the options currently available, and a better understanding of where the system may be falling short.”

“Older adults, especially older adults that identify as LGBTQ, often face high rates of social isolation and loneliness,” said Supervisor Ellenberg. “With this referral, we are reassuring the community the mental health of older adults matters, and these essential services are available to everyone regardless of age, gender identity, or sexual orientation.”

As part of the assessment, County staff will also consider how any ongoing or anticipated County efforts could help better address older adult mental health access. These include, among others, efforts to enhance our behavioral health workforce and improve mental health parity, and outreach initiatives like our behavioral health call center and navigator programs. 

According to the 2023 Santa Clara County Homeless Census and Survey, nearly 30% of the County’s unhoused population are aged fifty-five years and older. “Providing beds and improving care for folks on the streets with severe mental illness remains a priority for the County,” said Simitian. “That said connecting older adults to existing mental health services and programs before their conditions worsen shouldn’t come at the expense of those efforts. We can—and should—do both.”