Older adults at highest risk for suicide, yet have fewest resources
Health Older adults at highest risk for suicide, yet have fewest resources Study highlights imbalance in targets of online suicide prevention efforts Katrina Fu Mass General Brigham Communications February 25, 2025 3 min read Older adults, particularly those aged 75 and older, have the highest rates of suicide of any age group, yet a new study finds that well-known national suicide prevention organizations do not provide easily accessible resources targeting this population. The study was led by researchers at Harvard-affiliated McLean Hospital. Their findings, published this month in The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, highlight the urgent need for suicide prevention efforts that address the unique healthcare needs of older adults. “As clinicians and researchers in geriatric psychiatry, we frequently work with older adults who express suicidal thoughts,” said senior author Ipsit Vahia, chief of the Division of Geriatric Psychiatry at McLean, a member of the Mass General Brigham healthcare system. “Our team was interested in understanding how an older adult in the community may...