Assessing the Incremental Health Care Utilization and Expenditures Associated With Serious Psychological Distress by Living Arrangements Among Older Adults.

Summary: Getting older can be tough, especially for seniors who feel very stressed, anxious, or sad. Doctors call this "Serious Psychological Distress." A new study looked at health records from 2007 to 2019 to see if living alone makes this problem more expensive to treat. The researchers found that seniors with this distress visit the emergency room more often, stay in the hospital more, and buy more prescription medicine. This happens regardless of where they live. Surprisingly, living alone didn't make the costs significantly higher compared to living with family or roommates. The study suggests that just having company isn't enough; seniors need specific mental health programs and better care coordination to help them feel better.