Bethany Tabb has dedicated her time and efforts to WestMass ElderCare for more than five years. While serving as a Care Manager in the Home Care Program, she witnessed firsthand how difficult it is for older adults to access mental health services or even ask for help. She explained this led her to the Elder Mental Health Outreach Team (EMHOT), where she now offers critical support as the Team’s Lead Social Worker.
In this important role, Bethany works directly with older adults to assess their needs in their homes or at a community site and work with a specialized Nurse Practitioner to make referrals if needed. By providing this community-based care, Bethany’s direct support of these consumers helps to limit hospitalization and emergency room visits while improving medical care coordination and collaboration between behavioral health partners.
“I wanted to be involved in [the] EMHOT to help older adults access the care they need to meet their goals and improve their well-being,” Bethany said.
She shared that many older adults experienced significant and sustained isolation during the pandemic, which in turn intensified behavioral health needs for many. In addition to working with those enduring mental health challenges, the EMHOT assists older individuals with situational or longer-term anxiety, grief, depression, substance use, and hoarding.
“This is an exciting time as the behavioral health sector is being reshaped to increase the accessibility of Community Health Behavioral Centers and the Behavioral Health Helpline,” Bethany said. She continued, “These will be critical resources for the EMHOT program and local senior centers. I look forward to working with the team to provide this vital service to the community.”
At the heart of our commitment to providing quality services to our community are our dedicated staff’s passion, knowledge, and resources. We thank Bethany for her commitment and devotion to improving the lives of our community’s older adults and look forward to seeing her expand her impact in the years to come.
