Geriatric suicide: the preventable death

Suicide is the ninth-leading cause of death of the elderly, yet it is the leading cause of preventable death in this population. White males over the age of 65 are at special risk for suicide, with a suicide rate twice the national rate for all ages and six times the rate for women over age 65. The nurse practitioner is in a unique position to intervene in geriatric suicide because suicidal geriatrics typically will not seek help from mental health professionals. Rather, they will seek help from the primary caregiver. Strategies for assessment of suicide risk are presented, in addition to strategies for intervention in a suicide-related crisis.