Future Directions in Late Life Suicide Prevention
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 13628264 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Amy Fiske (0000-0002-8718-1064, University of Southern California, corresponding author), Patrick Arbore (Center for Elderly Suicide Prevention and Grief Related Services Goldman Institute on Aging, San Francisco, California) |
| Year | 2001 |
| Volume | 42 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 37-53 |
| Publication date | 2001-02-01 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0030-2228 • E-ISSN: 1541-3764 |
| Publisher | SAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US) |
| DOI | 10.2190/3t4g-t5u2-q724-e0k8 |
| OpenAlex | W2121475890 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 2 |
| References cited | 38 |
Late life suicide is characterized by less warning, higher lethality, and greater prevalence of depression and physical illness than suicide earlier in the lifespan. Suicidal older adults are more likely to seek help from a physician than through mental health channels, and suicide risk often remains undetected. Hopelessness is a prominent feature in older adult suicide. Traditional suicide hotlines receive few calls from older adults, and staff lack training in working with this age group. Despite the difficulties in preventing older adult suicide, however, opportunities exist. Psychotherapeutic and psychopharmacological treatments for depression may be effective in suicidal older adults, although they have not yet been widely tested. Community agencies with specialized programs for older adults show promise. Results are presented from the evaluation of one such agency, the Center for Elderly Suicide Prevention. After receiving agency services, hopelessness improved among clients but not in a comparison group. There were no significant changes in depressive symptoms or life satisfaction. Recommendations for future preventive efforts include: use of medical contacts to screen for depression and suicide; assessment of suicide risk with even small elevations in depressive symptoms; consideration of physical health status and level of hopelessness in assessing suicide risk; research on effective psychotherapies with suicidal older adults; and support of innovative community outreach and intervention programs
Depression (economics · Injury prevention · Intervention (counseling · Medical emergency · Mental health · Occupational safety and health · Outreach · Poison control · Psychiatry · Suicide prevention · Clinical Psychology · Health disparities and outcomes · Medicine · Mental Health Treatment and Access · Psychology · Suicide and Self-Harm Studies · Gerontology
| Citations per year | 0.22 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2017 - 2019 (3) |
| Highly cited | No |