Search Results for: elderly

Prevention of Suicide in Primary Care Elderly: Collaborative Trial (PROSPECT) aims to prevent suicide among older primary care patients by reducing suicidal ideation and depression. It also aims to reduce their risk of death. The intervention components are (1) recognition of depression and suicidal ideation by primary care physicians, (2) application of a treatment algorithm […] See more...

[Journal article]. Published in: Psychiatric Times, Dec 2003;XX(13). A review of the literature on the epidemiology of suicide in the elderly. Sections on risk factors and depression are included. See more...

Older adults die by suicide at a higher rate than the national average. Every year, more than 5,000 Americans over the age of 65 die by suicide, a death toll that is largely preventable. Elderly white men have the highest rate of suicide of all demographic groups in the U.S.  Although suicide rates of older […] See more...

The goals of the Massachusetts Adult Suicide Prevention Program (MASSP) are to: 1) create two Community Systems of Care (CSOC) integrating health, behavioral health, and suicide crisis services for the goal of Zero Suicide,2) pilot an Engagement and Follow-up (E&F) intervention for adults transitioning after a suicide attempt,3) promote statewide access to resources and treatment […] See more...

Researchers at the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) have published a study that found intentional drug overdose deaths have recently declined in the U.S. overall but increased among young people, older adults, and Black women. See more...

The New York Times Physical isolation during COVID-19 may increase suicide risk among older adults. While those living in residential care facilities have been hit particularly hard by the pandemic, the majority of older adults living at home have also been affected. Isolation and disrupted routine—being cut off from social contact and meaningful activity—can cause […] See more...

Stars and Stripes Federal data on the average daily number of veteran suicide deaths includes active duty service members, not just veterans. According to a recent report from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), 20.6 veterans, active duty service members, and non-active Guard and Reserve members died by suicide each day in 2015. Of those, […] See more...

PST is a brief psychosocial treatment that teaches skills for efficient problem-solving, coping, and managing distress, including depression and suicidal thoughts and behaviors. See more...

The Christian Science Monitor A national crisis intervention hotline is providing specialized services to older adults in distress. The Friendship Line is currently the only accredited, free, 24-hour crisis hotline for seniors in the country, receiving approximately 8,000 to 8,500 calls a month. Founder Patrick Arbore, who also serves as director of elderly suicide prevention […] See more...

We in the field of suicide prevention have worked hard to educate health care providers, policymakers, and the public about the increasing suicide rate in the United States and the need for resources and research to address this tragic situation. But what is less widely known is the disparity in the suicide rate by age. […] See more...

When the 114th Congress adjourns in January, it will mark the end of the congressional career of Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, one of the often unsung heroes of suicide prevention. I would like to use this column—published during the month in which we observe International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day—to offer my thanks to […] See more...

A study of Chinese people over the age of 60 in the greater Chicago area revealed that living alone, poor health, and an annual income under $5,000 were significantly associated with the lifetime prevalence of suicide attempts. The authors suggest that “older adults with a lower income level may experience greater life stress that may […] See more...

The New York Times Mourning the death of a loved one is often a long and painful experience, yet for some people the emotions that come with loss do not soften over time but instead become what mental health professionals call “complicated grief.” This condition can last years, sometimes absorbing those who experience it so […] See more...

A report describing suicide prevention activities for veterans has been issued by researchers from the Ralph H. Johnson Veterans Medical Center at the University of South Carolina. This publication also explores the gaps in four areas these activities should impact, according to the researchers: society (i.e. health status and knowledge and behaviors related to health […] See more...

This month I would like to look back on the important role that survivors of suicide loss have played in the history of suicide prevention. In the late 1990s, I worked for Senator Harry Reid. While helping him prepare for a hearing on mental health and the elderly, I discovered that Senator Reid’s home state […] See more...

IMPACT is an approach for treating depression in older adults in primary care settings in which caregivers and the patient collaboratively develop and monitor an individualized care plan. See more...

I entered the field of suicide prevention in 1996 when, after fourteen years as a civil servant with the Department of the Army, I joined the U.S. Senate first as a fellow and then as a staffer. I attended a U.S. Senate Aging Committee hearing on mental health and the elderly with my then-boss, Senator […] See more...

An international expert panel created in 2009 at the First International Conference on Elderly and Suicide recently published a list of “key considerations for future prevention projects that would address suicide and suicidal behavior in older adults.” The panel issued recommendations at the universal, selective, and indicated prevention levels and “unanimously agreed that evidence-based findings […] See more...

Offered by the Samaritans of Merrimack Valley, MA, a program of Family Service, Inc., the Suicide Prevention Training for Gatekeepers of Older Adults is an eight-hour gatekeeper training program for those who have regular contact with older adults through their personal, professional or volunteer activities. Suicide Prevention Training for Gatekeepers of Older Adults is organized […] See more...

Intended to enhance cultural competence when serving American Indian and Alaska Native communities. Covers regional differences; cultural customs; spirituality; communications styles; the role of veterans and the elderly, and health disparities, such as suicide. See more...

This brochure briefly describes: what is culture; what is cultural competence; diversity in the United States; how to incorporate cultural competency standards into practice; and an example of cultural competence in practice (a community-based intervention for elderly Chinese Americans). See more...

The goals of the report are to raise awareness about the problem of violence globally, and to make the case that violence is preventable and that public health has a crucial role to play in addressing its causes and consequences.More specific objectives are to: describe the magnitude and impact of violence throughout the world; describe […] See more...