Family Therapy for the Suicidal Elderly (IN: Now I lay me Down: Suicide in the Elderly, edited by D Lester & M Tallmer)

This chapter notes that suicidologists & family therapists both need to know more about gerontology. Family therapy is, in the author’s opinion, the treatment of choice for suicidal patients. As a risk however, he notes that more suicides have occured because of the dangers of “success” than because of feelings of disappointment. This chapter describes procedures & methods for the effective assessment & treatment of suicidal persons from a family therapy perspective. (16 Refs.)