Suicide Prevention Group Delivers Much Needed Message To Pennsylvania's Elderly

Main Category: Seniors / Aging
Also Included In: Depression
Article Date: 17 May 2008 - 1:00 PDT

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This month, in recognition of National Mental Health Month and Older Pennsylvanians Month, Feeling Blue Suicide Prevention Council (SPC) will offer an important message to senior citizens through a public service announcement. The public service announcement developed by Feeling Blue SPC is intended to bring awareness to the public health problem of depression and to offer hope to older Pennsylvanians who may be feeling suicidal: You are not alone in your feelings of depression. There's hope and there's help.

Older adults are the highest risk population in the country, but few suicide prevention programs target them. Through a grant provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Health, Feeling Blue SPC has been able to make this objective possible.

"As a responsible society, we must ensure the mental health and well-being of our older population," said Department of Health Secretary Dr. Calvin B. Johnson. "We hope this announcement can help spread the message that depression is not a 'normal' part of aging and that suicide can be prevented."

The statistics surrounding elderly suicide are alarming. According to the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention, a division of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, risk factors for suicide among older persons differ from those among the young. Elderly people are also more socially isolated. Additionally, approximately three quarters of the older adults who die by suicide have visited a physician within one month of taking their life.

Feeling Blue Suicide Prevention Council (SPC) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preventing suicide, reducing the stigma associated with suicide, and supporting those people affected by depression or by the loss of a loved one to suicide. They do this through education, training and linking people with a variety of resources.

Feeling Blue Suicide Prevention Council
http://www.feelingblue.com