A recent AARP survey finds that about a quarter of older adults (ages 50-plus) have been told by a health professional that they have an anxiety disorder (27%) and/or depression (27%). Of those, the majority are currently being treated for their anxiety (60%) and/or depression (56%).

Interestingly, experiences in this area with healthcare professionals in the past two years differ based on gender:

• Women are significantly more likely than men to say their healthcare professional has asked them about their mental and/or emotional health (49% vs. 40%) in the past two years
• Women are also significantly more likely to say they have been asked whether there was a period of time when they felt sad, empty, or depressed (52% vs. 40%)
• Women are also significantly more likely to say they have been asked whether there was a period of time when they anxious or worried (48% vs. 38%).