Recently Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain passed due to suicide. This is a good opportunity to talk about the increasing rates of suicide in older adults. Doctors and families are trying to figure out how to help prevent this.
Increasing Rates of Suicide in Older Adults
While suicide is often connected to younger people, like troubled teens, midlife and older adults have the highest suicide rate in the US. In fact, there were more than 232,000 suicides in the age group of 45 to 64 in 2016. This is according to the US Centers for Disease Control.
This can be because they feel that they have nothing left to contribute to the world or they feel their work here is done. Some people may be in physical pain and decide they’ve lived long enough. Others may just be so incredibly lonely that they want to join their loved ones that moved on.
Suicide attempts are more likely to be fatal among older people as well. Their frailty often makes them less likely to survive. The isolation they experience makes them less likely to be recused too.
What To Look For
Not all hope is lost, there are things we can do for our loved ones. Look for these signs:
- Depression
- Prior suicide attempts
- Presence of other medical conditions
- Physical pain
- Social dependency or isolation
- Family discord or loss
- Inflexible or rigid personality
- Access to lethal means
As always, make sure you senior isn’t left alone for too long. Social connection, sense of purpose or meaning, and other positive aspects can help make them feel like they have more to give in this world. Try to be by their side during tough transitions so that they can stay resilient. Finally, don’t be afraid to show how much they mean to you.
If you or someone you know is in danger of taking their life, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK.
Read more here.