CLEVELAND — It takes about five seconds being around 61-year-old Phyllis Callihan before she makes you laugh.
But beneath the laughter there now — there was darkness before.
Recovering from breast cancer, dealing with a husband diagnosed with early onset dementia, and then, there came the isolation of COVID-19.
“Kerstin doesn’t know how she saved my life many times,” Phyllis said. “She’s been there for me, she has helped me.”
Phyllis is talking about her counselor Kerstin Yoder, who she credits not only with saving her life, but bringing back that light and laughter.
Yoder is with the Benjamin Rose Institute on Aging — a Cleveland nonprofit that helps adults 55 and older with so many resources.
One of those resources is the mental health help many of our seniors struggle with admitting they need.
“They grew up in a time where there was stigmas about mental health — you didn’t talk about it, you kept it in the family,” Yoder explained. “So if anything, they’re probably underrepresented.”
Pre-pandemic, they saw nearly 550 clients at their homes.
Now, they’re at 413, a mix of in-home visits and telehealth, ages ranging from 55 to 86 years old.
Yoder says they see depression and anxiety, grief and loss.
Since January 2020, 107 seniors have been diagnosed with a hoarding disorder.
Less often, and rarely talked about, some seniors have been diagnosed with schizophrenia.
But she wants to drive home the point that it doesn’t have to be swept under the rug — help is out there.
“That’s where seniors get overlooked — because they’re ‘supposed’ to be sad. Yeah life has that but at the same time, when it is persisting for more than 2 weeks and significantly affecting functioning, that’s not healthy,” Yoder explained.
So even though the need is higher and they’re dealing with the same staffing shortages as all social workers, the goal at Benjamin Rose is to see you within the week - because when it comes to mental health issues, time matters.
“The longer it takes to get into treatment, the longer the recovery time can be,” Yoder said.
Here’s how it works — you can call intake at 216-791-8000 or get a referral from a hospital or physician.
Someone from Benjamin Rose’s behavioral health services will reach out to you within a day or two — and get you scheduled for an in-home appointment within the week.
After a thorough assessment, they’ll decide which program will be most beneficial — mental health case management, counseling, intensive treatment or therapy. They accept most insurance, Medicare and Medicaid, and have a sliding fee scale so cost isn’t a prohibitive factor.
They can also assist with housing, bills and food — things that can add to those mental health issues.
“You hear a lot about all the many services for children, but you don’t hear a lot about our older adults,” Yoder said.
Admitting you need help, whatever your age may be, “is very hard to do,” Phyllis said.
But getting that help can make all the difference. At the end of our interview, Phyllis proudly told us that after months and years of trying, they’ve finally convinced her husband to speak with a counselor as well — a huge step that she couldn’t be more proud to share.
The suicide hotline number has also changed to be more accessible and we’re learning that helps our seniors as well. It’s now just three numbers — 9-8-8.
