TY - JOUR
KW - Aged
KW - COVID-19
KW - Feasibility Studies
KW - Humans
KW - Pandemics
KW - SARS-CoV-2
KW - Social Isolation
KW - Telemedicine
KW - Aging
KW - Anxiety
KW - Group therapy
KW - Older adult
KW - stress
KW - telehealth
AU - R. Weiskittle
AU - W. Tsang
AU - A. Schwabenbauer
AU - N. Andrew
AU - M. Mlinac
A1 - 
AB - OBJECTIVES: During the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, virtual and telephone visits rapidly replaced most in-person care within the Veterans Health Administration (VA) to reduce the virus spread. To address the emerging mental health needs of older Veterans (e.g., social isolation) in the context of chronic underlying mental health needs (e.g., trauma), we developed an 8-week virtual group treatment manual. This article describes the results from a survey of geriatric mental health clinicians who used the COVID group manual to determine its acceptability and feasibility in these settings. METHODS: Clinicians across three VA integrated care settings (home-based primary care, community living centers, and geriatric primary care) were surveyed about their experiences implementing this treatment (n = 21). RESULTS: Clinicians found this intervention to be effective with their patients and useful and adaptable beyond the early pandemic period. CONCLUSIONS: This group teletherapy intervention was feasible and acceptable when treating Veterans in integrated geriatric healthcare settings. Despite technical challenges experienced by older Veterans, clinicians found this manual to be effective in addressing COVID-related worry and social isolation. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: This rapid response manual has remained clinically useful in geriatric mental health care settings beyond the initial weeks of the pandemic.
AD - VA New England Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center (GRECC).; VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA.; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.; VDepartment of Psychology, William Paterson University, Wayne, NJ.; Erie VA Medical Center, Erie, PA.; Hampton VA Medical Center, Hampton, VA.; VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA.; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.
BT - Clinical gerontologist
C5 - Education & Workforce; Healthcare Disparities; HIT & Telehealth
CP - 1
DO - 10.1080/07317115.2021.1906812
IS - 1
JF - Clinical gerontologist
LA - eng
M1 - Journal Article
N2 - OBJECTIVES: During the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, virtual and telephone visits rapidly replaced most in-person care within the Veterans Health Administration (VA) to reduce the virus spread. To address the emerging mental health needs of older Veterans (e.g., social isolation) in the context of chronic underlying mental health needs (e.g., trauma), we developed an 8-week virtual group treatment manual. This article describes the results from a survey of geriatric mental health clinicians who used the COVID group manual to determine its acceptability and feasibility in these settings. METHODS: Clinicians across three VA integrated care settings (home-based primary care, community living centers, and geriatric primary care) were surveyed about their experiences implementing this treatment (n = 21). RESULTS: Clinicians found this intervention to be effective with their patients and useful and adaptable beyond the early pandemic period. CONCLUSIONS: This group teletherapy intervention was feasible and acceptable when treating Veterans in integrated geriatric healthcare settings. Despite technical challenges experienced by older Veterans, clinicians found this manual to be effective in addressing COVID-related worry and social isolation. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: This rapid response manual has remained clinically useful in geriatric mental health care settings beyond the initial weeks of the pandemic.
PY - 2022
SN - 1545-2301; 0731-7115; 0731-7115
SP - 129
EP - 143
EP - 
T1 - Feasibility of a COVID-19 Rapid Response Telehealth Group Addressing Older Adult Worry and Social Isolation
T2 - Clinical gerontologist
TI - Feasibility of a COVID-19 Rapid Response Telehealth Group Addressing Older Adult Worry and Social Isolation
U1 - Education & Workforce; Healthcare Disparities; HIT & Telehealth
U2 - 33870881
U3 - 10.1080/07317115.2021.1906812
VL - 45
VO - 1545-2301; 0731-7115; 0731-7115
Y1 - 2022
Y2 - Jan-Feb
ER -