Telephone-Delivered Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Older, Rural Veterans with Depression and Anxiety in Home-Based Primary Care.

Telephone-Delivered Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Older, Rural Veterans with Depression and Anxiety in Home-Based Primary Care.

Clin Gerontol. 2017 Mar-Apr;40(2):114-123

Authors: Barrera TL, Cummings JP, Armento M, Cully JA, Bush Amspoker A, Wilson NL, Mallen MJ, Shrestha S, Kunik ME, Stanley MA

Abstract
OBJECTIVES: Rural, homebound older adults are at increased risk for anxiety and depression and have limited access to mental health services. These individuals face many barriers to receiving evidence-based mental health treatment and would benefit from interventions that increase access to and efficiency of care. The aim of this study was to evaluate use of a telephone-delivered, modular, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) intervention for both late-life depression and anxiety delivered to rural, homebound Veterans.
METHODS: Three cases are presented to illustrate the flexible adaptation of the intervention for use among older Veterans enrolled in home-based primary care, with varying symptom presentations and functional limitations. The Veterans received 7 to 9 sessions of the CBT intervention, with ordering of skill modules based on symptom presentation and determined collaboratively between patient and therapist.
RESULTS: The three Veterans showed improvement in depression and/or anxiety symptoms following treatment and provided positive feedback regarding their experiences in this program.
CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that telephone-delivered CBT is acceptable to older adults and can be tailored to individual patient needs.
CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Clinicians should consider telephone-delivered CBT as an alternate mode of therapy to increase access to mental health care for rural, homebound individuals with depression and anxiety.

PMID: 28452676 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]