Elderly suicidality

Abstract

This paper is about the serious phenomenon of suicide among the elderly. The accurate incidence of elder suicide is difficult to determine because of the risk of accidental overdose from adverse reaction to prescription drugs. Literature, nevertheless, suggests that suicide has increased dramatically among the elderly, and is predicted to continue to be a serious problem because more people are living longer than ever. This article discusses trends and prevalence of elder suicide from the human behavior in the social environment perspective. A discussion of the interrelatedness of the biological, psychological, and sociocultural dimensions of aging and suicide are discussed and integrated with biopsychosociocultural perspectives as the conceptual framework for understanding suicide among the older population. Intervention initiatives and assessment strategies for working with suicidal older persons are presented.