Mental health counseling is an excellent way to talk through your challenges and improve your emotional well-being. Millions of people of all ages work with a therapist every year to address a wide range of concerns. Unfortunately, though, attending therapy sessions in a counselor’s office can be difficult for some people. Telehealth may be the solution to many of the obstacles that prevent people from reaching out to a therapist for help. Although it isn’t a perfect fit for everyone, telehealth and teletherapy have made mental health treatment more accessible.
Telehealth is the provision of healthcare services without direct, in-person contact. With telehealth, instead of sitting in your therapist’s office during the appointment, you can video chat with your therapist from home using your phone or computer. You and your counselor can still see and hear each other, but you’re not in the same room.
Teletherapy provides a number of benefits, especially for seniors. Virtual counseling can be safer, more convenient, and less stressful for older adults. Here are five benefits of telehealth for senior counseling:
1. Accessibility
For many seniors, the biggest obstacle to starting therapy is getting to the appointment. If you don’t drive, you may rely on public transportation, senior shuttle services, or family or friends to take you where you need to go. These options may not always be available, though, which makes traveling to a recurring therapy session difficult. Accessibility is a particularly common problem for seniors who live in rural areas.
Telehealth allows you to connect with a therapist from home, so it removes the transportation barrier. You don’t have to stress about getting to your appointment. Instead, you just have to turn on your phone or computer and go online. This saves money on gas or bus fare, too.
Consistency is one of the most important factors in a successful therapy experience. Missing sessions regularly because of transportation or scheduling difficulties can make the treatment less effective. Teletherapy usually results in fewer cancellations, so you and your therapist can build up more momentum in your treatment.
You also have access to a wider network of counselors with telehealth. Your in-person therapy options are limited to the providers in your city, but teletherapy opens up a massive network of other professionals. If you find a teletherapy provider on the other side of the country who seems like a great fit, there’s nothing stopping you from scheduling an appointment. When you have so many options accessible to you, it’s easier to find the best therapist for you.
2. Convenience and Timeliness
Logging onto a teletherapy session is much easier than traveling to a counseling center, checking in at the front desk, sitting in the waiting room, and traveling home after. All the transportation and waiting time for an in-person appointment can be longer than the therapy session itself. Teletherapy can save you a significant amount of time, which makes the idea of counseling much more appealing.
Telehealth scheduling tends to be more flexible, too. If you have other commitments throughout the day, figuring out how to fit a therapy session into your schedule can be difficult. Therapists who provide services via telehealth sometimes have more flexible schedules, so you can set up an appointment at the most convenient time for you.
3. Privacy and Comfort
If privacy is your priority, telehealth may be a great option for you. When it comes to therapy, privacy is one of the biggest concerns seniors have. Many people go to counseling for a wide variety of reasons, so you shouldn’t feel ashamed or embarrassed about seeing a therapist. However, if you are worried about protecting your privacy, you can receive teletherapy without having to step foot in public.
When you log onto a therapy session from home, there’s no risk of running into someone you know in the waiting room. No one will overhear your conversation, either. Teletherapy is one of the most discreet and private ways to receive mental health services.
You’ll probably feel much more comfortable at home, too. It can be hard to open up and be vulnerable when you’re sitting in an unfamiliar office, but speaking honestly with your counselor is easier when you’re in your own space.
4. Health and Safety
Teletherapy greatly reduces health and safety concerns for seniors. You don’t have to worry about catching or spreading an illness at your therapist’s office when you don’t meet with them in-person. This is especially important for seniors who have health issues that put them at an increased risk of catching sicknesses or having health complications.
Health precautions have been at the forefront of everyone’s minds throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. The lack of in-person contact is one of the most important benefits of teletherapy during this time. Telehealth has allowed people to continue with their senior counseling services or start seeing a counselor for the first time at home. With virtual therapy sessions, you can improve your mental health while staying safe.
Not having to travel to the appointment reduces the risk of accidents, too. If you live somewhere with severe winter weather, snow and ice can pose a serious threat to cars on the road. You don’t have to cancel a telehealth appointment when there’s a snowstorm, and there’s no risk of falling or getting into an accident on the way to the session.
5. Communication
In many cases, the teletherapy model streamlines communication between the client and the service provider. Many counselors who use telehealth have an online portal that handles everything you need. You can attend your therapy session, send a message to your counselor, look at your bill, or see your appointment history all in one centralized location.
This makes it much easier for both you and your therapist to access all the information you need. There’s less risk of paperwork getting lost or messages not getting relayed to the right people. It may take a couple weeks to get used to the teletherapy platform, but once you know how to navigate it, you’ll be able to communicate with your therapist or their office staff quickly and easily.
Telehealth is a valuable resource for senior counseling. It removes many of the obstacles older adults face when starting therapy, and it makes mental health treatment possible for those who are unable to go to in-person sessions. Research shows that teletherapy is as effective as in-person therapy for all ages. Today’s technology allows us to communicate clearly and effectively online, and more people are taking advantage of telehealth services now than ever.
Mental health concerns are common in seniors, but help is available. If you’ve been dealing with stress, depression, grief, or other mental or emotional challenges, reach out to Blue Moon Senior Counseling today. We offer teletherapy services to clients in all 50 states, and we are happy to connect you with a licensed counselor who specializes in senior mental health.