Webinar: Geriatric Suicide Prevention: Suicide Safer Care Principles for Primary Care Providers and Their Teams

Originally Presented on Tuesday, November 9, 2021: 12-1 p.m. ET

Suicide in elderly populations is a major public health issue. People aged 85 years and older have some of the highest suicide rates of any age group in the U.S., and older adults who attempt suicide are more likely to complete these attempts than others. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic has only exacerbated existing risk factors, such as social isolation, depression, and family discord or loss. However, primary care providers and their teams which work with geriatric populations have a critical opportunity to intervene.

Learn how Suicide Safer Care principles can help prevent elder suicide in our archived webinar featuring experts from Concert Health and Adelphi University. This discussion explores the dynamics of geriatric depression and suicide and why providers can play important roles in prevention and detail effective suicide prevention practices for geriatric populations, from screening tools to evidence-based interventions.

Learning objectives:

1. Provide an overview of geriatric suicide, how COVID-19 has impacted this phenomenon, and why primary care providers can play important roles in prevention.
2. Discuss common risk factors and warning signs.
3. Describe screening tools, clinical pathways, and evidence-based interventions for geriatric suicide prevention.

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Presenters

• Dr. Virna Little, PSyD, LCSW-r, SAP, CCM, Chief Operating Officer and Co-Founder of Concert Health, Co-Founder of Zero Overdose
• Dr. Daniel Kaplan, Assistant Professor at the Adelphi University School of Social Work, Faculty Director of the Center for Nonprofit Leadership, and Project Director and P.I. of Social Work Practice Fellows

More Resources on Adult and Geriatric Suicide Safer Care

Using the Zero Suicide framework as a foundation and with the generous support of the Centene Corporation, the Association of Clinicians for the Underserved created the Suicide Safer Care curriculum to train primary care providers and their teams on skills for suicide risk assessment, evidence-based interventions, referral and transition when needed, and changing the culture of addressing suicide risk across clinical practice. Learn more about the curriculum and useful resources for primary care providers, including pediatric and adult suicide prevention toolkits.