Caring surveyed thousands of American seniors to better understand their mental health challenges including anxiety and depression and how they’re managing symptoms and finding ways to cope against the unknowns of aging. Read the full article here.
Caring.com, a leading senior living referral service and the nation’s top site for care reviews, published the results of its 2025 Senior Mental Health Study. Based on a survey in April of more than 4,000 Americans aged 65 or older, the study found that 1 in 3 seniors have a clinical diagnosis of anxiety or depression.
Almost half (47%) of surveyed seniors say they have anxiety, while 17% note having depression only. The other 35% of respondents have both anxiety and depression. Almost one-third of polled seniors say they have a clinical diagnosis for their anxiety and/or depression. Women were more likely than men (34% compared to 30%) to have an official diagnosis.
Many respondents (34%) have experienced anxiety and/or depression for more than six years. For others, these feelings go back even further, with about 16% of respondents saying their symptoms have been present since adolescence. Others have only recently developed symptoms. About 21% have experienced depression and/or anxiety for less than one year, and nearly 19% have lived with their condition for one to three years.
Surprisingly, caregiving stress ranked lower among causes of anxiety and depression. For many seniors, personal health concerns and global events were more significant sources of stress.
While some respondents have lived with symptoms for over six years, others have only recently developed them. Women were more likely than men to report a diagnosis.
The study also highlights a reliance on medication over therapy to manage their symptoms, despite expert insights emphasizing the benefits of talk therapy. Dr. Ken Robbins, board-certified in both internal medicine and psychiatry, states, “People are often skeptical that talk therapy is going to be helpful to them when they can talk to friends or relatives, and they don’t feel the need to talk to a therapist. They don’t understand how different it is when you speak to a professional who can help change the way you think.”
Related: The Healthy Geezer: Is Depression Genetic?
Overall, the survey shows that even though seniors may be struggling with their mental health, they’ve found several positive ways to cope with their stressors, such as prayer, meditation, spending time with a pet, or staying active.
Read the full report for more findings from this survey.
Caring provides relevant senior care information and support, comprehensive senior living and senior care directories for the United States, including nearly 400,000 consumer reviews. Call (800) 558-0653 or visit www.caring.com.
Find out more about depression, its symptoms, and how to manage it at the Cleveland Clinic’s website.
