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Links to past Mental Health Minutes are below.

 

Not Just Normal Aging: Mental Health Care Matters at Every Stage of Life

It’s common to feel sad, lonely, or “off” from time to time – and those feelings can sometimes linger longer than we’d like. As we get older, changes in health, losing loved ones, or navigating big life transitions can all affect our mood and outlook. For older adults, these feelings are often more complex — and more frequently overlooked.

The American Psychological Association estimates that up to 20% of adults aged 65 and older experience mental health concerns, yet this population remains the least likely to seek mental health specialists or be referred to therapy. SAMHSA reports that older adults account for higher rates of suicide than most other age groups, particularly men over age 75.  Stigma, generational beliefs, and the tendency for symptoms to present physically rather than emotionally all contribute to a pattern of mental health conditions going unrecognized and untreated. For this reason, Behavioral Health providers at Northwest Colorado Health work side by side with Primary Care and Dental providers to deliver integrated, whole-person care.

Additionally, Lilia Luna, Psy.D., Behavioral Health Director for Northwest Colorado Health points to bias as a contributing barrier to older adults accessing care.  “When we think about aging, we have to look at the whole picture — how someone’s body, mind, and social life are all connected,” she notes. “Research shows that providers too often chalk up older adults’ struggles to ‘just getting older,’ which means many people don’t get the mental health care they need. Our team is dedicated to offering accurate assessment, evidence-based treatment, and ethical, person-centered care for all, including older adults.”

Universal screenings to identify depression, anxiety disorder, and suicidal ideation are used throughout Northwest Colorado Health’s clinics, as well as in programs such as The Haven Assisted Living, and Home Health and Hospice, to help refer patients to the integrated care they need.

Dr. Luna also shared that her team is trained to recognize and address the layered barriers older adults often navigate silently.

• Some patients may have difficulty reading or understanding health information, so providers use simple language and check that instructions make sense.
• Sensory and cognitive changes — including hearing loss and mild cognitive impairment — mean providers must slow down, use large-print materials, and break information into manageable steps.
• Not everyone can access care online, especially in rural areas, so phone and in-person visits are available based on patient needs
• Transportation and geographic barriers mean that irregular attendance may reflect access challenges rather than disengagement, prompting flexible scheduling and coordination with community resources.
• Our billing team can openly about cost and work with patients to find affordable options.
• Language and cultural differences are met with professional interpreters and care approaches that honor each patient’s worldview.

Finally, when an older adult seeks their medical, dental, and behavioral health care at Northwest Colorado Health, their care becomes more streamlined and effective. Often, managing complex medical conditions forces older adults to navigate across fragmented medical systems. While specialty providers may still be needed, a patient who seeks their general healthcare support in one location will benefit from a care team who support that patient’s individual needs from one location and one team.

“Everyone struggles emotionally at one point or another and we all can benefit from support from a therapist who specializes in helping people work through these struggles,” says Luna. “Talking to someone can make a real difference. Behavioral Health support isn’t just for a crisis. It’s for anyone who wants to feel better and live more fully.”

Northwest Colorado Health’s Behavioral Health team offers compassionate, confidential care for older adults right here in our community. And we serve all patients, regardless of ability to pay. Whether you’re feeling anxious, down, or just not quite yourself, reaching out is a sign of strength. Learn more at northwestcoloradohealth.org/behavioralhealth or call 970-824-8233 in Craig or 970-879-1632 in Steamboat Springs.

 

This is the continued Mental Health Minute, beginning July 7, 2025.

• May 17, 2026 — Mental Health Minute — Not Just Normal Aging: Mental Health Care Matters at Every Stage of Life
• May 11, 2026 — Mental Health Minute — The “I Matter” campaign for youth and teens in Colorado
• May 4, 2026 — Mental Health Minute — The “Brain Hijack”: Understanding Youth Vaping in Routt County
• April 13, 2026 — Mental Health Minute — Knowing What’s in Our Community and How It Affects Our Kids
• April 8, 2026 — Mental Health Minute — Building Calm from the Inside Out: Helping Children Learn to Regulate their Emotions
• March 31, 2026 — Mental Health Minute — Update on the Hope Initiative
• March 15, 2026 — Mental Health Minute — Understanding Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing
• March 10, 2026 — Mental Health Minute — Teens as a Catalyst for Change
• Feb. 23, 2026 — Mental Health Minute — Alcohol Consumption
• Feb. 16, 2026 — Mental Health Minute — How Volunteering Can Support Your Mental Health
• Feb. 11, 2026 — Mental Health Minute — Processing Grief
• Feb. 1, 2026 — Mental Health Minute — Free Local Sober Events
• Jan. 26, 2026 — Mental Health Minute — The Nervous System
• Jan. 18, 2026 — Mental Health Minute — A message from Yampa Valley High School
• Jan. 11,  2026 — Mental Health Minute – Prioritizing Mental Health Like Physical Health (Youth-Focused)
• Jan. 4, 2026 — Mental Health Minute — Healing through tears, laughter and love
• Dec. 28, 2025 — Mental Health Minute — The HOPE Initiative from The Health Partnership
• Dec. 14, 2025 — Mental Health Minute — Standing Together: Men’s Work and “Walking Each Other Home”
• Dec. 8, 2025 — Mental Health Minute — The Gut and Brain Connection
• Nov. 30, 2025 — Mental Health Minute — Your Voice Matters
• Nov. 24, 2025 — Mental Health Minute — Seasonal Affective Disorder
• Nov. 16, 2025 — Mental Health Minute — Time Change Blues 
• Nov. 10, 2025 — Mental Health Minute – Navigating Changes in Midlife for Women
• Nov. 3, 2025 — Mental Health Minute — Stress Management in Teens
• Oct. 28, 2025 — Mental Health Minute — Day of the Dead
• Oct. 19, 2025 — Mental Health Minute — Sacred Moments: Finding the Sacred in the Ordinary 
• Oct. 13, 2025 — Mental Health Minute — Talk Saves Lives: Empowering Our Community to Prevent Suicide
• Oct. 6, 2025 — Mental Health Minute — Cost of Poverty Experience (COPE) comes to Northwest Colorado
• Sept. 29, 2025 — Mental Health Minute — Get Immediate Support with the 988 Colorado Mental Health Line
• Sept. 22, 2025 — Mental Health Minute — Theater as an Outlet
• Sept. 14, 2025 –Mental Health Minute — Connection in Times of Adversity
• Sept. 7. 2025 — Mental Health Minute – Sharing stories and building bridges at new event
• Aug. 31, 2025 — Mental Health Minute — Message from Yampatika
• Aug. 25, 2025 — Mental Health Minute — Mental Health After a Critical Incident: How to Help, What to Expect, and Taking Care of Yourself
• Aug. 17, 2025 — Mental Health Minute: Uncertainty Is Part of Life — But It’s Heavier for Some
• Aug. 11, 2025 — Mental Health Minute — Re:generation: A Christ-Centered Path to Lasting Transformation
• Aug. 3, 2025 — Mental Health Minute — Steps to Help Save A Life
• July 28, 2025 — Mental Health Minute — Steamboat Kids & Phones
• July 24-2025 — Mental Health Minute — Starting with the basics
• July 15, 2025 — Mental Health Minute – Helping Others through Peer Engagement and The HOPE Initiative
• LINK to all previous Mental Health Minutes — DECEMBER 1, 2024, THROUGH JUNE 23, 2025