Study Shows 1 in 3 Seniors Face Mental Health Struggles

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina—Caring.com, a senior living referral service and a site for care reviews, published the results of its 2025 Senior Mental Health Study. The study, based on a survey of more than 4,000 Americans aged 65 or older, found that one in three seniors have a clinical diagnosis of anxiety or depression.

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.

“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,” said Ken Robbins, board-certified in both internal medicine and psychiatry. “They don’t understand how different it is when you speak to a professional who can help change the way you think.”

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, including:

• One in three anxious/depressed seniors have a clinical diagnosis, and many of them have lived with their conditions for over six years.
• More seniors use medications for anxiety and/or depression than take part in therapy.
• Current events are listed as the highest cause of anxiety, while caregiving is one of the least common reasons seniors say they feel anxious or depressed.
• Seniors find several positive ways to cope with their stressors, such as exercising or spending time with a pet.

Caring.com partnered with PollFish to survey more than 4,000 American seniors 65 years and older to review their anxiety and depression, contributing factors and how they are coping with their struggles.