Health Matters: Geriatric Mental Health

By WVUA23 Digital Reporter Kyle Hamrick

Staying healthy means more than taking care of your body. It also means taking care of your mind.

Dr. James Reeves, a psychiatrist at University Medical Center, said older adults tend to have better mental health than younger people. It all comes down to life experience, managing ups and downs longer.

“We’ve learned this through COVID study after study that older adults have much higher resilience than younger adults over the last two to three years,” Reeves said. “Older adults have a lifetime of experience managing stresses, managing different ups and downs in their lives.”

Reeves said older adults tend to have more long-term relationships, and less depression and anxiety than other age groups. This increases their resiliency to challenges later in their life.

However, older adults tend to have more medical issues that affect their physical health than younger adults.

You can watch the entire interview below. For all your primary health care needs, visit University Medical Center with locations in Tuscaloosa, Northport, Demopolis, Fayette and Carrolton.