Suicide among the elderly in America
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This paper is an examination of the issue of suicide among the elderly in America. Between 1940 and 1980, suicide rates among those 65 and older had been declining. However, in 1980, the rate began to increase; while individuals over 65 now constitute 13 percent of the total population, they account for 20 percent of all deaths attributed to suicide. This is not solely an American problem: older males have the highest rate of suicide in almost every industrialized nation in the world. Depression is the most common single diagnosis leading the suicide, and the increased social acceptability of suicide may be one the most important factors in a depressed individual's choice to end his or her life. Since most older people do not seek outside help for their depression and suicidal thoughts, physicians, social workers, and family members need to learn to recognize this growing problem and institute preventive measures where possible. James R. McCartney, director of geriatric psychiatry at Lifespan Academic Medical Hospitals in Providence, RI, argues, "Suicide or attempted suicide . . . is always an act against the self and a communication to others for whom the termination of one's life has some real or hoped-for meaning" (Conwell, et al., 1988, Spring, p. 123). The decision to end one's life can be a cry for help or attention, an expression of deep anger, or a confused response to feelings of helplessness and hopelessness. It can be triggered by mental illness, signifi
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ness. Yeates Conwell and his colleagues (1988, Spring) note that older suicides are usually accomplished through more determined and planful self-destructive acts with fewer advance warnings than are seen among the young (p. 124). Psychological intervention is frequently less effective with older patients once they have decided to commit suicide; Conwell's research suggests that social workers need to focus on primary prevention, targeting older individuals who are at risk before they reach a crisis stage (p. 126).
The risk factors for elderly suicide are different from those in younger patients, and professionals must recognize these differences in order to design effective prevention programs. For example, Bijou Yang (1995) presents evidence indicating that economic forces are less important in elderly suicides than in the young (p. 112). Older suicides are evenly distributed across socioeconomic lines, and a healthy bank account is no guarantee against self-destruction.
Some experts have found other correlations, including a connection between the weather and bouts of depression in the elderly. Colin Godber (1998, January) suggests that good weather and the onset of summer are likely to increase depression and suicidal t
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Approximate Word count = 2216
Approximate Pages = 9 (250 words per page)
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