This article cites studies suggesting that nursing home placement may indeed be protection against suicide among elders (eg. completed suicide rate: 15.8/100,000 for institutions compared to 19.2 for community-dwelling elders). Possible explanations are discussed. Studies are also cited to show an increase in indirect life-threatening behavior (ILTB) among nursing home elders. The author poses many questions concerning ILTB that careful studies of institutionalized elders could help answer.