Silent suicide: The fatal combination of old age, loneliness and loss

[Sherman A1]

Tom Rote, 70, lives alone on his property in Harrisburg. Many of his friends and family members have died in recent years, and he can no longer do some of the activities he used to enjoy, like flying in hot air balloons, now that he’s older.

Rote’s circumstances check every box when it comes to risk factors for depression.

He’s a white male, over the age of 65, living alone in a life full of loss. While these factors can increase the risk for depression in all people, for older adults they pose a bigger threat — silent suicide.

Among older adults, suicide prevalence is already high — and drastically underreported

https://www.columbiamissourian.com/news/local/silent-suicide-the-fatal-combination-of-old-age-loneliness-and/article_7c0571d4-984b-11e9-95e6-4f258b3ba807.html

[Tobin S.]

1. This is a symptom of a weakness in American society.

In many cultures, the elderly are admired and respected and remain active members of their communities. They are valued for their wisdom and love. In American society, we tend to place an emphasis on youth and admire that more. We have a tendency to ignore our elderly.