THURSDAY, Sept. 10, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Talking to a counselor before major surgery might boost seniors’ recovery following a procedure, a new study says.

Mental health coaching before surgery can help reduce seniors’ risk of post-surgery anxiety and depression, researchers reported Sept. 9 in JAMA Network Open.

“The time around surgery is a window of both risk and opportunity,” lead researcher Joanna Abraham said in a news release.

“The stress of surgery can worsen anxiety and depression symptoms and affect patients’ recovery and overall health, but it also offers a critical opportunity to identify these concerns proactively and connect patients with the support they need,” said Abraham, a professor of anesthesiology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

Up to 33% of older surgical patients in the United States experience depression before surgery and 22%, anxiety, researchers said in background notes.

Older patients also tend to be taking multiple medications that affect the brain, including sedatives, muscle relaxants and sleep aids, researchers said.

For the new study, researchers recruited more than 300 people ages 60 and older who were scheduled for heart, cancer or orthopedic surgery at hospitals located in Illinois and Missouri.

Half of the patients were selected to receive regular sessions with a social worker or mental health counselor prior to surgery, amounting to between eight to 12 phone interactions.

These patients also received a personalized review by doctors and pharmacists to dial in the best doses of the high-risk medications they were taking.

The other half only received the typical self-help educational materials on mindfulness, sleep and brain health that are handed out to most people prior to surgery.

Results showed that three months after surgery, patients who got the counseling had lower signs of depression and anxiety than those in the control group. Seniors undergoing cancer surgery experienced the strongest mental health improvements.

“We recognize the importance of getting the body into shape before surgery, but preparing the mind and the brain is just as important,” senior researcher Dr. Eric Lenze, head of psychiatry at Washington University School of Medicine, said in a news release.

“Patients undergoing major surgery hope for a better life afterward, and our study shows that taking care of emotional well-being and optimizing medications can help deliver that outcome,” he said.

Patients also reported positive experiences with both the therapists and the pharmacists, researchers reported.

“What makes this care model so promising is that it’s practical to deliver,” Abraham said. “Patients and healthcare providers found the program manageable and easy to integrate into existing surgical workflows. Proactive mental health care doesn’t have to burden the hospital system.”

More information

The American Society of Anesthesiologists has more on preparing for surgery.

SOURCE: Washington University School of Medicine, news release, Sept. 9, 2026

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