Psychological Issues in Late-Life Suicide

Abstract

Assessing older adults who express a desire for hastened death in the absence of mental illness or terminal disease is a complex process. However, a critical, and simple, guideline is that conducting a thorough assessment will offer the clinician the best opportunity to connect with the patient and institute interventions that will improve quality of life—and if used properly, the assessment itself can function as an important intervention. Suicide risk assessment should draw on the existing literature and involve an approach that is collaborative and seeks to understand patient motivation. This allows the patient to maintain responsibility for his/her own life. We also believe that lessons and tools from psycho-oncology are applicable in informing assessment of rational suicide. Finally, when conducting suicide risk assessments, clinicians should actively work to identify avenues of psychological and interdisciplinary intervention. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: chapter)