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Gerontology Research Paper

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Submitted By FereldenHero
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Pages 6
Suicide Among the Elderly: Symptoms that are ignored

University of California, Irvine
Professor Webster P117D
November 27, 2007

Suicide among the elderly: Symptoms that are ignored More than 30,000 Americans every year commit suicide. A suicide happens every eighteen minutes. The highest rate of suicide of any age group occurs among the elderly. The elderly make up 12.6% of the population, yet they account for almost 18% of all the suicides. An elderly suicide occurs every 100 minutes. Suicide ranks as the eighth leading cause of death among those aged 65 and older (Noffsinger, Knoll). Firearms consist of the main method in which the elderly take their lives. The next two in line are overdosing and suffocation. White men over the age of 85 are at the greatest risk of all groups. In 1999, the suicide rate for these individuals was 59.6 per 100,000. 84% of all elderly suicides are men. The rate of suicide for women declines after age 60. Although older adults may attempt suicide less often, they have a higher completion rate. Contrary to popular belief, only about 2-4% of suicide victims were diagnosed with terminal illness at the time of their demise. 80% of all elderly victims of suicide have seen a primary care physician within six months of their suicide. Why is it that the suicide rates for older adults are much higher than every other age group? Depression is a key factor for the rates of suicide in the elderly. Depression is most commonly associated with the pain of loss. Suicide rates are definitely higher for those who are divorced or widowed. The suicide rates of older divorced male adults was 3.4 times more than for married men. As for widowed men, the rates are 2.6 times more. It is often the case that old adults who have committed suicide were stricken by at least one psychiatric illness. The most common

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