Families Told to be Alert to Depression Among Elderly: Christchurch's Elder Support Groups are Warning Families to Stay Vigilant for Signs of Depression Among Older Relatives After the Suicide of an 87-year-old Woman

By Giles Brown, Canterbury Press

April 21, 2008

New Zealand

Christchurch's elder support groups are warning families to stay vigilant for signs of depression among older relatives after the suicide of an 87-year-old woman.

Regional Coroner Richard McElrea ruled that Beatrice Currie, who was found dead in the Avon River in central Christchurch in April last year, had taken her own life.

Latest figures from the Ministry of Health show more than 1000 people over 65 committed suicide each year between 2003 and 2005.

And in 2006, at least 1400 people over 65 were admitted to hospital due to self-harming.

Professor Brian Draper, of the University of New South Wales in Sydney, who specialises in studying suicide among the elderly, said there needed to be more focus on the issue.

"Trying to prevent suicide only started when young people started to kill themselves in the early '90s," said Draper, the bi-national chairman of the Faculty of Psychiatry of Old Age of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists.

"Now we have to bring those prevention strategies together and look at why there remains a high risk of suicide."

Draper, who was speaking at Princess Margaret Hospital in Christchurch, said the reasons elderly people committed suicide were as varied as the people themselves.

"For a lot of people, it is not one reason -- it is a combination of factors.

"Clinical depression is one of the most common factors, and the majority of people who kill themselves are clinically depressed."

Social isolation, decline in physical health, and a lack of contact with other people were common triggers of depression, Draper said.

"Traumatic experiences in early life can also leave them at risk of having problems in later life," Draper said.

One problem was that older people were typecast as being depressive, he said.

"We need to recognise that older people are generally a happy group. We can think it is normal for people to be old and depressed, but that's not the case," he said.

The director of Suicide Prevention Information New Zealand (SPINZ), Merryn Statham, said friends and family had to keep a close eye on elderly friends and relatives.

"Social isolation contributes enormously to the quality of life for older people," Statham said.

"Other factors are recent bereavement and relationship problems. There is also the issue of learning to deal with increasing physical illness."

Men were particularly susceptible to depression as they grew older.

"They are significantly impacted by the losing of a partner in later life."

Statham said it was important to help people access health and community services as they grew older.

Princess Margaret Hospital is introducing changes to the way it helps the elderly.

The clinical director for older persons health, Dr Jeff Kirwan, said the service was undergoing a major review.

This included a merging of the clinical team and the needs assessment service co-ordination team. This would provide a "one-stop shop" for elderly people using the service and allow for better communication between the teams.

Age Concern Canterbury chief executive Andrew Dickerson confirmed his organisation had come across cases of suicide in the elderly.

"We certainly see risk factors, such as depression, social isolation, or losing independence," he said.

"I think there isn't good community awareness about older people. We have seen the issue of youth suicide highlighted quite well, but I think it is not as well understood amongst older people."

He said Christchurch was well catered for by Presbyterian Support and the Petersgate Counselling centres, but there was a need for a specialist counselling service.

"Family and neighbours need to keep a close eye on vulnerable older people because isolation can definitely be a trigger," he said.

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