Support needed to address suicide risk of older adults in LTC

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (25) ◽  
pp. 3-4
Author(s):  
Valerie A. Canady
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Suicide Risk

Perceived Burdensomeness Is Key to Suicide Risk Among Older Adults

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. R. Jahn ◽  
K. C. Cukrowicz ◽  
K. Linton ◽  
F. Prabhu
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Suicide Risk ◽  
Perceived Burdensomeness

Suicide risk in first year after dementia diagnosis in older adults

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy Schmutte ◽  
Mark Olfson ◽  
Donovan T. Maust ◽  
Ming Xie ◽  
Steven C. Marcus
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Suicide Risk ◽  
First Year ◽  
Dementia Diagnosis

Suicide risk within one year of cognitive impairment diagnosis in older adults: a nationwide retrospective cohort study

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jae Woo Choi ◽  
Kang Soo Lee ◽  
Euna Han
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Suicide Risk ◽  
Proportional Hazards ◽  
Cox Proportional Hazards ◽  
Cox Proportional Hazards Models ◽  
One Year

Abstract Background This study aims to investigate suicide risk within one year of receiving a diagnosis of cognitive impairment in older adults without mental disorders. Methods This study used National Health Insurance Service-Senior Cohort data on older adults with newly diagnosed cognitive impairment including Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, other/unspecified dementia, and mild cognitive impairment from 2004 to 2012. We selected 41,195 older adults without cognitive impairment through 1:1 propensity score matching using age, gender, Charlson Comorbidity Index, and index year, with follow-up throughout 2013. We eliminated subjects with mental disorders and estimated adjusted hazard ratios (AHR) of suicide deaths within one year after diagnosis using the Cox proportional hazards models. Results We identified 49 suicide deaths during the first year after cognitive impairment diagnosis. The proportion of observed suicide deaths was the highest within one year after cognitive impairment diagnosis (48.5% of total); older adults with cognitive impairment were at a higher suicide risk than those without cognitive impairment (AHR, 1.89; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.18–3.04). Subjects with Alzheimer’s disease and other/unspecified dementia were at greater suicide risk than those without cognitive impairment (AHR, 1.94, 1.94; 95% CI, 1.12–3.38, 1.05–3.58). Suicide risk in female and young-old adults (60–74 years) with cognitive impairment was higher than in the comparison group (AHR, 2.61, 5.13; 95% CI, 1.29–5.28, 1.48–17.82). Conclusions Older patients with cognitive impairment were at increased suicide risk within one year of diagnosis. Early intervention for suicide prevention should be provided to older adults with cognitive impairment.

scholarly journals LONELINESS AND SUICIDE IDEATION IN OLDER ADULTS: A LONGITUDINAL INVESTIGATION

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S594-S594
Author(s):  
Marnin J Heisel
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Suicide Risk ◽  
Healthy Aging ◽  
Suicide Ideation ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Psychological Variables ◽  
Canadian City ◽  
Psychological Risk

Abstract Older adults have the highest rates of suicide globally, necessitating theory and research investigating suicide and its prevention in later-life. The experience of loneliness is significantly associated with depression, hopelessness, negative health outcomes, and mortality among older adults. Yet, relatively little research has focused on the role of loneliness in conferring suicide risk in later life. The purpose of the present study was thus to investigate the potential associations between loneliness and suicide ideation and behavior in a sample of community-residing older adults recruited into a larger two-year longitudinal study of psychological risk and resiliency to later-life suicide ideation. We specifically recruited 173 adults, 65 years or older, from community locations in a medium-sized Canadian city, for a study on “healthy aging.” Participants completed measures of positive and negative psychological variables, including depression, loneliness, and suicide ideation at a baseline assessment, and again at 2-4 week, 6-12 month, and 1-2 year follow-up points. Findings indicated that loneliness (UCLA Loneliness Scale) was significantly positively associated with concurrent depression and suicide ideation, negatively associated with psychological well-being and perceived social support, and differentiated between participants who endorsed or denied having ever engaged in suicide behavior. Baseline loneliness also explained significant variability in the onset of suicide ideation over a 1-2 year period of follow-up, controlling for age, sex, and baseline depression and suicide ideation. These findings will be discussed in the context of the need for increased focus on psychosocial factors when assessing and intervening to reduce suicide risk in older adults.

scholarly journals Suicide in an ageing UK population: problems and prevention

2016 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 218-228
Author(s):  
Gary Hodge
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Suicide Risk ◽  
Baby Boom ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Cultural Issues ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
The Social ◽  
Easy Answer

Purpose Suicide can be an emotive, and at times, controversial subject. The purpose of this paper is to reflect on the social, health, personal, and cultural issues that can arise in later life and the potential reasons for suicide. It will analyse already recognised risk factors of suicide in older adults and focus on improving knowledge about the social meaning and causation of suicide for older people. It will also consider suicide prevention policies, their practice implications, and whether they are successful in protecting this potentially vulnerable cohort. Design/methodology/approach A synopsis of available literature in the form of a general review paper of suicide of older adults. Findings There is evidence that the ageing process often leads to a set of co-morbidities and a complex and diverse set of individual challenges. This in turn equates to an increased risk of suicide. There is no easy answer to why there is evidence of a growing number of older adults deciding that suicide is there only option, and even fewer suggestions on how to manage this risk. Social implications The entry of the “baby boom” generation into retirement will lead to the potential of an increase in both suicide risk factors and older adults completing suicide. This is on the background of a demographic surge which is likely to place additional pressures on already under-resourced, and undervalued, statutory and non-statutory services. Originality/value A literature search found very little information regarding older adults and suicide risk, assessment, treatment or prevention.

Gender and age group differences in suicide risk associated with co-morbid physical and psychiatric disorders in older adults

2016 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 249-257 ◽  
Author(s):  
Helen-Maria Vasiliadis ◽  
Catherine Lamoureux-Lamarche ◽  
Samantha Gontijo Guerra
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Health Service ◽  
Suicide Risk ◽  
Service Use ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Health Service Use ◽  
Age Group ◽  
Co Morbidity ◽  
Gender And Age

ABSTRACTBackground:It is unclear whether health service use influences the association between psychiatric and physical co-morbidity and suicide risk in older adults.Methods:Controls were older adults (n = 2,494) participating in a longitudinal study on the health of the elderly carried out between 2004 and 2007, in Quebec. The cases were all suicide decedents (n = 493) between 2004 and 2007, confirmed by the Quebec Coroner's office. Multivariate analyses were carried out to test the association between suicide and the presence of psychiatric and physical illnesses controlling for health service use and socio-demographic factors by gender and age group. Interaction terms were also tested between suicide and co-morbidity on outpatient service use.Results:The presence of physical illnesses only, was associated with a reduced risk of suicide across all sex and age groups. The presence of a mental disorder only was associated with an increased risk of suicide overall and specifically in females and those aged 70 to 84 years of age. Suicide risk was lower in those with a psychiatric and physical co-morbidity and consulting mental health services.Conclusions:Increased mental health follow-up in older adults with psychiatric illnesses is needed for the detection of suicidal behavior and reducing suicide risk in males. Further research should focus on the mitigating effect of the presence of physical illnesses on stigma and health service use and the presence of social support in the elderly.

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