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Suicide Concern over Older People
BBC News
Scotland
April 18, 2005
People aged over 55 are being forgotten, according to research
Not enough is being done to prevent suicide among older people in Scotland, a leading charity has said.
A study carried out by Help the Aged Scotland and the Royal College of Nursing has suggested older people are not receiving sufficient support.
Liz Duncan, of Help the Aged Scotland, said the Scottish Executive's Choose Life strategy is poorly targeted.
Men aged 55 or over are twice as likely to commit suicide as women of the same age, the research found.
It also found people over the age of 55 are 10 times more likely to take their own lives than be killed in an assault.
Ms Duncan said the findings were a cause for concern and suggested the executive's strategy to avoid suicides had missed an important age group.
She said: "It is accepted in health and academic circles that depression is one of the most common conditions associated with suicide in older adults.
"Depression is also a widely under-recognised and under-treated medical illness.
"The executive's Choose Life strategy is a national action plan launched in 2003 aimed at preventing suicide in Scotland.
"However, Help the Aged believes it is flawed, in that older people were not named as one of the seven priority groups."
'Swept under the carpet'
Ms Duncan said this was a " considerable oversight" given that there were 117 suicides by people aged over 55 in 2003.
Help the Aged and the RCN are urging MSPs to sign a motion submitted by Donald Gorrie MSP, which calls for improvement in the care system to recognising depression in older people and treating it more quickly.
James Kennedy, RCN Scotland director, said: "The fact that an older person commits suicide every three days in Scotland is a national tragedy that has to be addressed.
"The issue of mental health and particularly depression in older people is all too readily swept under the carpet.
"It needs to be brought into the public eye and tackled."
'Risk factors'
Mr Kennedy said he hoped Mr Gorrie's motion would be the first step towards a concerted effort to deal with the problem at a national level.
Gregor Henderson, director of the national programme for improving mental health and wellbeing, said: "Improving mental health and wellbeing in later life is one of the six priority areas for the executive.
"Choose Life aims to create greater public awareness of suicide among all age groups, including older people.
"It addresses suicide risk factors that affect vulnerable older people, including early intervention and prevention, responding to immediate crisis and longer term work to provide hope and to support recovery."
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