This article is from page 18 of the 2013-01-29 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 18 JPG
THE number of older people in the county dying by suicide has increased and is likely to increase further.
That is according to the HSE’s Suicide Prevention programme, which is now targeting this group for special consideration.
HSE teams in Clare and throughout the mid-west have begun working with groups and organisations that work specifically with older people, educating them on suicide prevention and informing them where help can be found.
Figures show that while young men remain the highest group at risk from death by suicide, there is also an increase in the number of people taking their own lives after the age of 60 years old.
Bernie Carroll, Resource Officer for Prevention of Suicide in the mid west region, said that as the population continues to get older this will become even more of an issue and so the HSE is moving now to educate the relevant groups.
It is also providing education in schools and in the community.
The stigma attached to this type of death however has meant that public information evenings have been left empty as people fear being seen asking about the topic explained Ms Carroll.
“There is a lot of fear and hysteria in a community after a death by suicide. The difference between suicide and other deaths is the intensity of the emotions because we don’t know why any one person took their own life,” she said.
Early intervention and preventative measures is the best way forward according to the expert.
She explained that as many as 80 per cent of people who took their own live, looked for help at some point. A further 80 per cent had alcohol or drugs in their system at time of death.