Senior Suicide Is on the Rise — What Can We Do to Stop It?

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that overall rates of suicide in the United States have risen 25 percent since 1999, and caregivers are especially concerned about this trend among seniors, reports WCPO . "We have seen an increase in seniors seeking help," says Butler Behavioral Health Services CEO Randy Allman. "We've seen an increase in why they're coming: social isolation, feeling lonely, feeling like they're not in a purposeful lifestyle, lack of healthcare, lack of activities." The United Health Foundation reports that senior suicide has climbed 12 percent nationwide since 2014, and older Americans, men in particular, may develop suicidal urges as their personal independence and social connections disappear. "It doesn't surprise me that we see more complex social issues for the senior population because they're growing," Allman notes. "We need to make sure there's the necessary funding attached to that for local services." This includes funding for social programs such as Butler Behavioral Health, and for efforts such as those in Maple Knoll Village, a retirement community where residents take frequent coordinated trips to restaurants, concerts, and other activities outside the community. Allman suggests a straightforward question is sometimes the best approach to learn whether seniors are suicidal. "Many times, when someone is asked, 'Are you feeling suicidal?' — just very directly — that person is glad that someone asked them," he says.