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September awareness-month topics of suicide and falls prevention offer hope, information, and resources for family caregivers and individuals to stay safe and maintain their independence at home.
While adults appreciate the help of others for continuing to live at home as they age and helping others can be an honor, both care receivers and caregivers can be at-risk for feeling negative emotions at any point in their journey together. Left unattended, these feelings can overwhelm a person; sometimes to the point they lose hope. And for some, suicidal thoughts may surface occasionally or linger regularly.
Finding healthy ways to work through stress and feelings of sadness or despair is key for holding or rediscovering hope and preventing suicide. The “Suicide and Older Adults: What You Should Know” article from NCOA (National Council on Aging) reviews possible reasons for suicidal intent, such as:
- Lack of social connections, grief over lost loved ones and pets, loss of self-sufficiency, chronic illness & pain, cognitive impairment, or financial troubles.
Possible warning signs of suicidal intent, mentioned in the article, include the following. Note- there may be other or additional reasons causing these behaviors. Check with a medical or mental health professional about what you’re noticing in yourself (or what others say they notice about you) or others. Call 911 or 988 Lifeline if you or someone else is in immediate danger.
- Loss of interest in activities they used to enjoy
- Giving away beloved items or changing their will
- Avoiding social activities
- Neglecting self-care, medical regimens, and grooming
- Exhibiting a preoccupation with death
- Lacking concern for personal safety, acquiring a firearm or other tools for self-harm
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Talking or thinking about wanting to die or commit self-harm or suicide, feeling trapped and hopeless, being a burden to others, having no reason to live anymore
Help for You
You don’t have to be suicidal or in crisis to call the 988 Lifeline. People reach out about lots of things: substance use, economic worries, relationships, sexual identity, abuse, mental and physical illness, and loneliness.
Talking with someone about your thoughts and feelings can save your life. You may call or text 988 any time or chat online with the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline to get confidential support, find resources, and make a safety plan for yourself.
Steps You Can Take if You Suspect Someone Else is Thinking about Suicide, provided by the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline’s five action steps:
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Ask. Don’t be afraid to be direct with the person at risk. Ask questions like, “How can I help you?” and “Are you thinking about suicide?” to initiate a conversation in a supportive and unbiased way. Be sure to listen carefully to their answers and acknowledge their emotional pain. Help the person stay focused on all the reasons why they should want to keep living.
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Be there. If you’re able to, be physically present for the person in order to ease feelings of isolation and provide a sense of connectedness. If a face-to-face visit is not possible, be there for them via phone or video calls. Work with the individual to identify others who may be willing to lend their help. Be sure not to make any promises that you are unable to keep.
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Keep them safe. Find out if the person has already made any attempts on their life. Do they have a specific plan or timing in mind? Do they have access to their planned method of self-harm? Learning the answers to these questions can help you understand whether this individual is in immediate danger. In general, the more detailed a person’s suicide plan is, the higher their risk. Someone who is at imminent risk for suicide may require more intensive intervention. The 988 Suicide Lifeline can serve as a valuable resource for helping you determine the next steps.
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Help them connect. It’s important to establish support systems to rely on now and in future moments of crisis. This includes suicide prevention helplines such as the Lifeline, as well as in their local community. Ask if they are seeing a mental health counselor. If not, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) offers a searchable, confidential directory of mental health providers across the U.S. Also, help them check with their health insurance for a list of providers to call and ask about setting-up an appointment.
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Follow up. Once you've had an initial conversation with the vulnerable person and helped them establish a support network, make sure to check in.
A common myth is that falls are a normal part of aging, but actually most falls are preventable. Maintaining independence by preventing falls is a great way to also support mental and physical health.
The Washington State Department of Health Fall Prevention Resources website shares multiple ways you and the person you care for can work toward preventing falls and fall related injuries or death.
5 Simple ways to reduce the risk of falls and maintain independence as you age:
- Keep moving as much as you can within your ability.
- Talk to your healthcare provider about recent falls and potential side effects from medications you take that could be increasing your risk of falling.
- Keep your home safe- remove trip hazards, increase lighting in dark spaces, install and use railings on both sides of stairs and grab bars in bathrooms and other areas you may be unsteady.
- Get your vision and hearing checked at least annually.
- Talk with friends and family to enlist help for all ages to stay safe.
Resource Links (external sites)
Resources
Local Caregiver Support
Choosing Care in an Adult Family Home or Assisted Living Facility
Long Term Care Resource Book-English
Long Term Care Resource Book- Other Languages
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