A Mental Burden: New GoHealth Report Details Seniors' Struggle With Social Distancing

Rhea-AI Summary

GoHealth, Inc. (NASDAQ: GOCO) released a report highlighting the adverse effects of social distancing on seniors' mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. Key findings reveal that 29% of seniors feel lonely, with 85% experiencing anxiety and 78% facing depression. The report, based on 1,000 online interviews, indicates that 33% of seniors live alone and 28% haven't visited non-household members in over five months. GoHealth aims to address these challenges through its services, especially as the Medicare annual enrollment period approaches.

Positive

• GoHealth aims to support seniors' health by providing information on Medicare plans that address mental health.
• The report highlights GoHealth's active role in understanding and addressing the mental health crisis among seniors.

Negative

• 29% of seniors feel lonely, raising concerns about their mental health.
• 85% report anxiety, with 78% stating they suffer from depression due to social isolation.

CHICAGO, Oct. 8, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- While social distancing has been vital in keeping our seniors safe during the COVID-19 pandemic, those measures have had unintended consequences on the population's mental health. These findings are detailed in the new report, "The Effect of Isolation on Older Americans." GoHealth, Inc. (GoHealth) (NASDAQ: GOCO), today released a report that shows many seniors aren't only feeling lonely. They're experiencing anxiety, depression, sleep changes, among other mental and physical health declines.

80% said the pandemic has impacted how often they see their family or friends, and roughly a quarter have felt a decline in physical health (26%) and/or mental health (25%). 29% feel lonely, of which almost all (92%) are feeling more lonely compared to the beginning of the pandemic.

"Mental health can affect people at any stage of their life,'' said Clint Jones, co-founder & CEO of GoHealth. "Whether in adolescence or the golden years, people are struggling, especially during the pandemic, and we have to be more aware, ask questions, and reduce the stigma that creates barriers to much-needed help on the way to recovery."

To better understand the pandemic's effects on this group, GoHealth conducted 1,000 online interviews in mid-August 2020. Respondents were Medicare beneficiaries, age 65 and older in various income brackets and geographical regions to guarantee adequate representative sampling. 

Key Findings

• 33% live alone
• 28% haven't visited in-person with a non-household member in five or more months
• 49% are practicing more social distancing than compared with the beginning of the pandemic
• 29% feel lonely (Of those that live alone, 40% are lonely. Of those who live with others, only 24% are lonely.)
• For those experiencing mental health declines: 85% experience anxiety, 78% depression, or 76% irritability
• For those experiencing physical health declines: 87% experience fatigue or decreased energy, 70% changes in sleep, or 63% changes in appetite
• To cope, 73% have taken walks outdoors, 56% have visited with friends or family outdoors, and 47% have had video calls with others

Additional Insights

• Women (28%) were more likely than men (18%) to report declines in mental well-being
• 33% of women feel lonely, while only 22% of men say the same. Women (94%) were more likely than men (88%) to say they feel more lonely now than at the beginning of the pandemic.
• While most Medicare beneficiaries know their access to mental health resources, 21% don't know or aren't sure.
• 47% participated in video calls with friends or family to prevent loneliness. Of those, 50% said they began using video conferencing technology after the pandemic began.

"We've built our customer-focused platform to be a first line of defense -- from knowing what each of our customers' individual needs are, to helping them understand and fully utilize their Medicare plan's offerings," said Ben Miller, Senior Vice President of Strategic Partnerships. "If feelings of anxiety or depression have an adverse affect on a person's ability to eat well, exercise, or follow a medication regimen, it's no wonder their health may decline. We aim to be a true partner to the customer to connect them to Medicare plans that can provide them benefits to improve their health, but also engage and connect them through our Encompass Platform into the programming and benefits that exist to address mental health. We want to help them connect to resources and solutions to improve both physical and mental health. And, with the upcoming Medicare annual enrollment period, we want to help people understand which Medicare plans are geared around this to improve their health outcomes."

Learn more about GoHealth's Encompass Platform and how it delivers personalized benefits navigation and customer health connectivity.

For more information about "The Effect of Isolation on Older Americans" report, visit https://www.gohealth.com/effect-of-isolation-on-older-americans-report/.

About GoHealth, Inc.
As a leading health insurance marketplace, GoHealth's mission is to improve access to healthcare in America. Enrolling in a health insurance plan can be confusing for customers, and the seemingly small differences between plans can lead to significant out-of-pocket costs or lack of access to critical medicines and even providers. GoHealth combines cutting-edge technology, data science and deep industry expertise to match customers with the healthcare policy and carrier that is right for them. Since its inception, GoHealth has enrolled millions of people in Medicare and individual and family plans. For more information, visit https://www.gohealth.com/.

Contacts

Investor Relations, IR@gohealth.com

Media Relations, pressinquiries@gohealth.com

View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/a-mental-burden-new-gohealth-report-details-seniors-struggle-with-social-distancing-301148432.html

SOURCE GoHealth, Inc.

FAQ

What does the GoHealth report say about seniors' mental health during the pandemic?

The report indicates that many seniors experience loneliness, anxiety, and depression as a result of social distancing measures during the COVID-19 pandemic.

What percentage of seniors reported feeling lonely according to GoHealth?

According to GoHealth, 29% of seniors reported feeling lonely, with 40% of those living alone experiencing loneliness.

How many seniors have not visited friends or family in person for over five months?

28% of seniors reported not having visited with a non-household member in over five months.

What initiatives is GoHealth planning to address the mental health needs of seniors?

GoHealth plans to connect seniors with Medicare plans that offer mental health support, especially during the upcoming Medicare annual enrollment period.

How many seniors are experiencing declines in mental health according to GoHealth's findings?

The report found that 85% of seniors experiencing mental health declines report anxiety, while 78% report depression.