Telehealth Psychiatric Care
Covered by Medicare
Darla Dane, PMHNP-BC, is Skye's specialist in psychiatric care for seniors. Here is how she approaches your loved ones care.
Older adults are among the most underserved patients in psychiatric care.
Their symptoms are normalized, their medication needs are misunderstood, and the psychiatric dimension of cognitive decline is frequently overlooked in the rush to address the cognitive changes themselves.
I have spent a significant part of my career working directly with older adults — in skilled nursing facilities, in long-term care settings, and now in telehealth — and what I know from that experience is that psychiatric intervention at this stage of life makes a real difference.
Not just for the patient, but for the family members who are trying to support them. Treating depression, anxiety, and behavioral symptoms in an older adult does not turn back time.
But it can meaningfully improve the quality of the time they have — and the quality of life of everyone around them.
What Skye treats in Seniors
Depression and anxiety in older adults
Dementia-related behavioral symptoms (agitation, aggression, sleep disruption, paranoia)
Grief and late-life adjustment
Cognitive decline-associated psychiatric symptoms
Adjustment to loss of independence
Reducing problematic or disruptive behaviors
Improving stability of mood
Increasing motivation and progress in physical rehabilitation
Evaluating and maintaining cognitive functioning
Increasing socialization and overall quality of life
Don’t blame it on “Age”
10 Warning Signs That Seniors Should Not Ignore
1. Persistent low mood that has lasted weeks or months
Depression in older adults is not a normal or inevitable part of aging. Persistent sadness, emptiness, hopelessness, or a loss of pleasure in activities that previously brought enjoyment — lasting more than two weeks — warrants psychiatric evaluation regardless of age.
2. Withdrawal from social contact and previously enjoyed activities
An older adult who has stopped calling family members, lost interest in hobbies, declined social invitations, or become increasingly isolated may be experiencing depression or anxiety rather than simply "slowing down." Social withdrawal is one of the most consistent early signs of untreated late-life depression.
3. Anxiety or worry that has become constant or disabling
Persistent worry about health, finances, family, or safety that consumes significant mental energy, produces physical symptoms, or prevents normal daily functioning is a treatable anxiety disorder — not a reasonable response to the challenges of aging.
4. Behavioral changes that seem out of character
Increased agitation, irritability, suspiciousness, or emotional outbursts in an older adult who was previously calm and even-tempered may reflect psychiatric symptoms associated with cognitive decline or an untreated mood disorder. These changes are treatable and should not be accepted as inevitable.
5. Sleep that has significantly changed
Difficulty falling asleep, frequent waking, very early morning waking, or sleeping excessively during the day — particularly when accompanied by mood changes — are common presentations of late-life depression and anxiety that respond to psychiatric treatment.
6. Significant change in appetite or unexplained weight loss
Depression in older adults frequently manifests as appetite suppression and weight loss before emotional symptoms are recognized. When a primary care workup has not found a physical explanation, psychiatric evaluation is appropriate.
7. Grief that has not lifted after many months
Grief following the loss of a spouse, close friend, or family member is normal. Grief that does not begin to lift after many months, that produces persistent depression or functional impairment, or that is complicated by additional losses warrants psychiatric evaluation and support.
8. Confusion or cognitive changes accompanied by mood or behavioral symptoms
When cognitive changes — memory lapses, confusion, difficulty with daily tasks — are accompanied by depression, anxiety, agitation, or sleep disruption, the psychiatric symptoms require their own clinical attention.
Treating only the cognitive changes while leaving the psychiatric symptoms unaddressed significantly reduces quality of life.
9. Caregiver or family members noticing changes the patient does not report
Older adults frequently underreport psychiatric symptoms — either because they normalize them as part of aging, because they do not want to worry family members, or because cognitive changes affect their ability to accurately describe their own experience.
Adult children and caregivers who notice changes in mood, behavior, or personality in an older family member are often the most reliable reporters of clinically significant change.
10. Psychiatric medications that are not working or causing concerning side effects
An older adult who has been prescribed psychiatric medication by a primary care physician or non-specialist and is not experiencing adequate benefit — or who is experiencing side effects including cognitive impairment, excessive sedation, or falls — may benefit from a geriatric-informed psychiatric evaluation to assess whether the current medication approach is appropriate for their age and medical complexity.
New patients at Skye Mental Health are typically seen within 3 days. Medicare Part B and Plus Blue plans accepted.
Questions? Text us at 248-587-8267
Frequently Asked Questions
-
Yes. Skye Psychiatry accepts Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans for psychiatric care delivered entirely by telehealth to older adults in Michigan, with no requirement to visit a physical office.
-
No. Persistent sadness, hopelessness, or loss of interest lasting more than two weeks is a treatable psychiatric condition, not an inevitable consequence of getting older, and it warrants evaluation regardless of the patient's age.
-
Skye treats depression and anxiety, dementia-related behavioral symptoms (agitation, aggression, sleep disruption, paranoia), grief and late-life adjustment, and cognitive decline-associated psychiatric symptoms in older adults.
-
Yes. While psychiatric care cannot reverse cognitive decline, it can meaningfully reduce disruptive behaviors, stabilize mood, and improve quality of life for both the patient and the family or caregivers supporting them.
-
Darla Dane, PMHNP-BC, is Skye's dedicated geriatric psychiatric specialist. She has spent a significant part of her career working with older adults in skilled nursing facilities and long-term care settings before moving to telehealth.
-
Skye's telehealth visits are designed to be accessible for seniors and can typically be joined from a phone, tablet, or computer, with family members or caregivers able to assist with the connection if needed.
-
Family members should seek evaluation when they notice withdrawal from social activities, persistent worry, out-of-character behavior changes, significant sleep or appetite changes, unresolved grief, or medications that don't seem to be working or are causing side effects like sedation or falls.
-
Yes. Skye offers a geriatric-informed psychiatric evaluation to assess whether an existing medication regimen — including one started by a primary care physician — is appropriate for an older adult's age and medical complexity.
-
No. Psychiatric symptoms accompanying cognitive decline — such as agitation, anxiety, or sleep disruption — are treated in their own right, separately from a formal mental illness diagnosis, and often go unaddressed if only the cognitive symptoms are managed.
-
You can schedule an appointment directly through Skye's website. Skye accepts Medicare, Medicare Advantage, and Medicaid, and cares for patients via telehealth statewide in Michigan.escription