Last year, 126 seniors aged 60 and above killed themselves. This is a jump of nearly 60 per cent from the 79 seniors who committed suicide in 2000. There ere 95 of them in 2010. While the suicide rate in Singapore has remained at between 8 and 10 suicides per 100,000 residents over the past decade, the proportion of the elderly among those who take their own lives has risen. In 2000, 23 per cent of suicides here were among the elderly. By 2010, the group made up 27 per cent, and the number grew to 30 per cent last year.
Ms Christine Wong, executive director of suicide prevention agency Samaritans of Singapore, said suicide among elderly are "a disturbing indicator of the level of distress they were experiencing in what should be the golden years of their lives". "The majority of the elderly clients who called our 24 hour hotline expressed concerns such as physical and mental ill health, financial and relationship issues, and loneliness," said Ms Wong.
Ms Chan added: "They lose a sense of purpose, lack confidence in coping with further deterioration and don't want to be a burden as their care needs get more demanding". About a third of the elderly the centre counselled over the past three years experienced social isolation, a major issue for older adults here. About 32 per cent of older Singaporeans aged 60 and older report being sometimes lonely, and 19 per cent report being mostly lonely, said a study led by Associated Professor Angelique Chan of the Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School.
The study, released last year, found that feeling lonely raised one's risk of dying by 34 per cent over a four year period, compared with those who were not lonely. The number of people aged 65 and above who live by themselves has tripled from 14,500 in 2000 to 42,100 last year. The elderly make up about a third of all one person households here. While some of these seniors are single from the start, counsellors say many others struggle with adjusting to life after the death of their spouses.
But loneliness is a state of mind and can affect even those who live with family. Prof Chan's study showed that individuals who live alone or live with children are most likely to be lonely, but living with a spouse helps to stave off loneliness. it is not known if the depression rate among the elderly has risen, but the Institute of Mental Health is working on a $4.4 million study on the well being of the elderly here to examine this aspect, among others.
Prof Chan said: "As loneliness is a more powerful predictor of mortality compared with living arrangements, programmes that focus solely on older adults living alone may miss a large group of lonely older adults living with children." Busy schedules and caring for their own children could make adult children less available to their parents, she added.
Experts say people should be trained in mental "CPR". "It would be helpful for staff and volunteers in welfare organisations to be trained in identifying symptoms of depression, and family members to be able to spot signs of cognitive decline," said Mr Edmund Song, executive director of RSVP Singapore, a non-profit organisation of senior volunteers.
Ms Chan said: "Even when providing services, we need to actively involve and empower the elderly in their own health management rather than have them as passive recipients." Sometimes, what old people need is simply friendship, as in the case of a man befriended by Mr Tan Chor Koon, 57, who has been making home visits to the elderly with Lions Befrienders since 2009. Mr Tan's friendship has brought meaning, assurance and comfort to his befriendee, He even helped his befriendee to fulfil that extraordinary last wish, to visit a friend in Thailand after finding out the he had late stage cancer, said Dr Chey Chor Khoon, executive director of Lions Befrienders.
Helplines:
Samartians of Singapore (SOS): 1800 221 4444 (24 hr)
Singapore Association of Mental Health: 1800 283 7019
IMH Mobile Crisis Service: 6389 2222 (24 hr)
Care Corner Counselling Centre (Mandarin): 1800 353 5800
Seniors Helpline: 1800 555 5555
Touchline (Touch Youth Service): 1800 377 2252
Tinkle Friend: Children can call 1800 274 4788 on weekdays
Aware: 1800 774 5935
Family Service Centre: 1800 838 0100
Thoughts anyone?
Yours,
Something Small Thinking Big
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