Suicide in the Elderly

Suicide in the Elderly: Awareness, Prevention, and Intervention

One older adult dies by suicide every 80 minutes in the United States, 18 people every day. All professionals working with older adults need to understand risk factors for late life suicide, as well as how to assess and respond to these signs. This program will highlight what we known and still need to learn about suicide in older adults, with particular emphasis on validated tools and evidence-based approaches to intervention and prevention. By the end of this program, participants will:

· Articulate risk factors for late life suicide

· Understand how to screen for suicide in older adults

· Be aware of intervention strategies to respond to older adults who experience suicidal ideation, planning, and/or behavior.

· Consider how to implement prevention strategies across settings serving older adults

· Recognize the role of all professionals, regardless of setting, in preventing and intervening with older adults.