[Suicidality in the elderly. What to do when the patient is suicidal?]

The suicide rate shows a constant increase with age, and the reasons are multifactorial. In particular people with mental disturbances, especially depression, age-related multimorbidity and loneliness, have a tendency towards suicidal behavior. Therapeutic approaches are grounded in the early recognition of direct and indirect remarks indicative of suicidal tendencies, and in binding agreements on necessary therapeutic measures. For the future, there is an urgent need for further expansion of the cooperative effort between physicians and care-providing and social services in multiprofessional teams that also involve relatives, together with training in crisis intervention in suicidal persons.