Chapter
Suicide and the Elderly (IN: Mental Health and the Elderly. A Social Work Perspective, ed. by F J Turner)
Mercer S O
This chapter was written for those who want to begin to understand why & how older Americans are committing suicide at a high rate. The issues & elements of elder suicide are examined in some detail: demographics, high-risk factors, suicidal intent & methods, & suicide in nursing homes. The purpose is to provide clear indicators of high-risk factors. The chapter concludes with a discussion of the relationship of suicide to depression, methods of assessment, & interventions. (62 refs.)