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Social work with older people - reducing suicide risk: a critical review of practice and prevention
- Authors:
- MANTHORPE Jill, ILIFFE Steve
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Social Work, 41(1), January 2011, pp.131-147.
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
Although suicide remains an uncommon event among older people in most developed countries, suicide rates do increase with age, mainly accounted for by the higher incidence among older men. This review draws on four existing reviews and a further search of the literature using a critical interpretive synthesis methodology that emphasises practitioner perspectives. It reveals three problems: a scarcity of research that takes a system-wide approach to suicide prevention in later life; a dearth of evidence about the social work contribution to reducing the risk of suicide in later life; and a noticeable absence of reference to social work practice in national guidelines for mental health practitioners. This absence of social work services from studies about later life suicide arises partly from concentration on medical, nursing and psychological literature and partly from the use of a hierarchy of evidence that grades research by quality of the science and stands to miss accounts of practice, let alone the experiences of older people. This article suggests that emphasis should be given to guideline development, and to improving sub-optimal care and support.