This paper examines the mental health and psychosocial services available to older adults at Tripler Army Medical Center in Hawaii. With approximately 75 million Baby Boomers entering retirement age, the U.S. healthcare system — including military and veterans' care — faces unprecedented demand. The paper describes the facility's psychiatric specialties, outlines Department of Defense and TRICARE funding structures, and highlights depression as a primary mental health concern for aging military retirees and veterans. It also reviews legislative efforts to expand long-term care capacity and concludes by identifying gaps that require strategic planning from the VA and DoD to meet the growing needs of this population.
Approximately 75 million Baby Boomers were born in the United States between 1946 and 1964. This generation will stress the healthcare system as no other generation in history has. There are many services available for older adults in relation to their psychosocial, cognitive, and emotional needs. This paper identifies available services for older adults at a specific facility and addresses issues relating to older adults and mental health programs — specifically, the psychosocial health of older adults at Tripler Army Medical Center in Hawaii.
The adult psychiatric treatment program for older adults at Tripler Army Medical Center in Hawaii focuses on depression experienced by older adults. The U.S. Department of State examines the challenges faced by service members in caring for elderly parents, ensuring that the health care and living situations of those elderly parents are appropriate. Medical programs at U.S. Military bases and hospitals assist service members in procuring the right medical, healthcare, and other necessary provisions for elderly service members and their families.
According to one report, the FY 2012 budget request included $52.5 billion for the DoD health care system, which employs 85,000 military personnel and 53,000 civilian DoD employees (The American Legion Legislative Point Paper, 2011). The system serves 9.5 million eligible beneficiaries through 56 hospitals, 363 outpatient medical facilities, and 275 dental clinics (The American Legion Legislative Point Paper, 2011). The system's cost, stated at $19 billion in FY 2001, more than doubled over the following decade (The American Legion Legislative Point Paper, 2011).
The Department of Defense predicted annual cost increases of 5–7% through fiscal year 2015, at which point healthcare expenditures were projected to account for more than 10% of the total planned DoD budget (The American Legion Legislative Point Paper, 2011). Until recently, military retirees aged 65 and older received their sole healthcare benefits through Medicare. However, a new law enacted in 2001 granted retirees enrolled in Medicare Part B lifetime rights to healthcare benefits under TRICARE. Military retirees with 20 years of honorable service are eligible for Medicare Part A and are enrolled in Part B. Former military members retired due to medical disability are also eligible for TRICARE for Life (Brown, Bauman & Smith, 2011).
Tripler Army Medical Center in Hawaii provides the following physician specialties relevant to older adult mental health:
Neurologists / Clinical Neurophysiology: A neurologist who specializes in the diagnosis and management of central, peripheral, and autonomic nervous system disorders using a combination of clinical evaluation and electrophysiological testing — including electroencephalography (EEG), electromyography (EMG), and nerve conduction studies (NCS), among others.
Psychiatrists: Specialists in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of mental, addictive, and emotional disorders such as schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, substance-related disorders, sexual and gender identity disorders, and adjustment disorders. The psychiatrist is uniquely prepared to treat the whole person, understanding the biological, psychological, and social components of illness. A psychiatrist is qualified to order diagnostic laboratory tests, prescribe medications, evaluate and treat psychological and interpersonal problems, and intervene with families coping with stress, crises, and other challenges (Tripler Army Medical Center, n.d.).
Addiction Psychiatry: A subspecialty focused on the evaluation and treatment of individuals with alcohol, drug, or other substance-related disorders, as well as individuals with a dual diagnosis of substance-related and other psychiatric disorders (Tripler Army Medical Center, n.d.).
Geriatric Psychiatry: A subspecialty with expertise in the prevention, evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of mental and emotional disorders in the elderly. The geriatric psychiatrist seeks to improve the psychiatric care of older adults in both health and disease (Tripler Army Medical Center, n.d.).
Pain Medicine: A subspecialty providing a high level of care — either as a primary physician or consultant — for patients experiencing acute, chronic, or cancer-related pain in both hospital and ambulatory settings. Patient care needs may also be coordinated with other specialists (Tripler Army Medical Center, n.d.).
"Depression symptoms, resources, and Army response"
"Senate bill funding for VA long-term care"
"Strategic planning needs for aging veteran population"
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