Seniors at greatest danger for suicide, yet have least resources

Seniors, especially those aged 75 and above, exhibit the highest suicide rates in comparison to any other age demographic, yet new research indicates that reputable national suicide prevention groups do not offer readily available resources for this demographic.

The investigation was directed by scholars at Harvard-affiliated McLean Hospital. Their results, released this month in The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, emphasize the critical need for suicide prevention measures that cater to the specific healthcare requirements of older individuals. 

“As healthcare providers and researchers in geriatric psychiatry, we regularly assist older individuals who show suicidal inclinations,” stated senior author Ipsit Vahia, head of the Division of Geriatric Psychiatry at McLean, part of the Mass General Brigham healthcare network. “Our team was keen on understanding how an older individual in the community may pursue resources regarding suicide prevention and what they are likely to encounter. Our findings revealed a disproportion in the audience that online suicide prevention initiatives are aimed at, along with a significant unmet demand for elderly individuals.”

The study, conducted in the Technology and Aging Laboratory at McLean, was motivated by the growing trend of older adults utilizing online resources to find health-related information. Researchers concentrated their online investigation on well-known, nonprofit entities or governmental organizations that appear on the first page of a Google inquiry, aiming to replicate the natural search experience of older adults navigating the internet.

Their results indicated that resources directed at older adults were limited and difficult to locate, even though most of the websites they discovered recognized the heightened suicide risk within this demographic. 

Individuals aged 75 and over face some of the highest suicide statistics (20.3 per 100,000) according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Estimates from the CDC reveal decreases in suicide rates amongst several age categories under 34 in recent years, while the rate among individuals over 75 has surged.

This situation may stem from social isolation and loneliness, lack of representation in research, and systemic age-related biases, Vahia suggests.

“Publicly visible suicide prevention initiatives have a track record of success, and the demand for such initiatives aimed at older adults is more pressing than ever,” he remarked. “Our aspiration is that highlighting this discrepancy may prompt major suicide prevention organizations to explore methods for improving the accessibility of their resources for older adults.”

When considering future actions, the team stressed that tackling the disparities in suicide prevention initiatives for older adults necessitates targeted campaigns and customized prevention programming that accounts for their unique healthcare necessities, as well as being easily available on online platforms. They noted that increased funding and research directed towards preventing late-life suicide is essential. 

Vahia is currently supported in his research by the National Institute on Aging, the National Institute of Mental Health, the Once Upon a Time Foundation, and the Harvard Dean’s Initiative on Aging. The study was made possible through an unrestricted donation from the Eric Warren Goldman Charitable Trust and the McLean Technology and Aging Lab.