While depression has afflicted all segments of the population, elderly persons over the age of 65 continue to be the most affected. The viewpoint is reinforced by current statistics, which show that, despite accounting for only 12.6% of the American demographic profile, the elderly account for 20% of suicide deaths (Ingersoll & Rak, 2015). Thorson explains the increased risk among senior persons by stating that the group is typically more determined to commit suicide than other subsets (Thorson, 2000, p.291). The view was also echoed in Hillier & Barrow’s argument that the elders record the highest suicide attempts, with 50% of cases being successful because of self-destructive thoughts (Hillier & Barrow, 2011, p.321). Recent epidemiological studies also highlight the disproportionate rates among the group. For instance, a 2014 study by Montefiore Medical Center highlighted the criticality of depression in suicidal ideation, where 26% of participants experiencing manic and hypomanic episodes reported they had experienced the feeling they would be better off dead. With the number of the over-65s continuing to rise as the baby boomer generation continues to age, the intractable tragedy of suicides among the aged is expected to keep soaring to endemic status in the near future.
With the disproportionate rate of suicides among the elderly being a widely-recognized problem, the current stock of literature has established a number of contributing factors that are underlying in the perenniality of the problem. Such is the case of physical health, where individuals suffering from chronic diseases exhibit depressive symptoms as they struggle with the reality of incapacitation that characterizes geriatric illnesses. Other correlates that have been linked to the onset of depression, as well as suicide attempts among the elderly, include interpersonal relations, mental health, as well as stressful events, disability, family issues, financial worries, as well as bereavement (Hillier & Barrow, 2011).
References
Hillier, S. & Barrow, G. (2011). Aging, the individual, and society (1st ed., p. 321). Australia: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.
Ingersoll, R. & Rak, C. (2015). Psychopharmacology for Mental Health Professionals: An Integrative Approach (1st ed., p. 333). Australia: Thomson Brooks/Cole.
Montefiore Medical Center. (2014, April 28). Suicidal thoughts among elderly driven by physical health socioeconomic vulnerabilities. ScienceDaily. Retrieved January 23, 2017 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/04/140428154844.htm
Thorson, J. (2000). Aging in changing society (1st ed., p. 291). Philadelphia, Pa.: Brunner/Mazel.
