You might expect that senior citizens treated at walk-in care clinics would say what matters most to them is their health. But you’d be wrong. No question, their health is right up there. But “social activities and inclusiveness” are an even bigger priority, according to a new study by researchers at Case Western Reserve University. Then comes health, followed by independence and family togetherness as what’s most important to them. That’s based on responses from about 388,000 patients aged 65 and older nationally at walk-in ambulatory care clinics. (Walk-in care clinics provide outpatient medical services for minor illnesses and injuries without an appointment, such as those at your local drugstore.)

Serious mental illnesses (SMI) take a tremendous toll on individuals, their friends and family, and society as a whole. SMI such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depressive disorder contribute to poverty, unemployment, and homelessness, and can lead to hospitalization and suicide. Predicting when intensive intervention is needed in individual cases is a major unmet mental healthcare need.