Communities can play major role in helping elderly people to have full and active lives

THE concerns expressed by the coroner for Kerry South, Terence Casey, about suicide among older people are shared by Age Action.

The complex combination of factors which result in considerable numbers of older people taking their own lives, needs to be addressed publicly.

For some older people, the latter years of their lives can be very difficult. These include people who are socially isolated — sometimes going five or six days at a time without meeting another human being. Others are overwhelmed with grief following the death of a spouse or loved one. For many (especially men), they may never come to terms with retirement after 40 years or more of having a work-related purpose to their life. Depression can be an issue for some.