One in Four Older Adults Report Anxiety or Depression Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic

KFF says a recent tracking survey found 46 percent of older U.S. adults (65 and up) in July said that worry and stress related to coronavirus has negatively impacted their mental health, up from 31 percent in May. Earlier research found the population of adults reporting anxiety or depression has risen since the start of the pandemic, with 40 percent of adults 18 and older reporting symptoms in July. Yet the effect of the pandemic on the mental health of older adults is critical, particularly because of the higher rates of social isolation, loneliness, and grief that they may face. Extensive research has noted the link between loneliness and increased risk of premature death, dementia, stroke, depression, anxiety, and suicide among older adults. Generally, one in four (24 percent) adults 65 and older reported anxiety or depression in August, a rate which has been relatively level since the pandemic began in March. This rate is higher than the 11 percent of Medicare beneficiaries who reported depression or anxiety in 2018, but the latest analysis found older adults reported anxiety or depression in August at a lower rate than younger adults under 65. Rates of anxiety or depression among older adults in August were higher among those who are female, Hispanic, low income, in relatively poor health, who live alone, or who have suffered recent loss of employment income in their household.