Baseline Survey

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Baseline Survey
Before the training begins, please fill out the
baseline survey and put your completed survey in
the box provided. Thank you!
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Ending A Deadly Silence Florida Suicide
PreventionGatekeeper Training
Insert your name and agency

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What to Look For What to Do How to Help
Prevention is often a matter of a caring person
with the right knowledge being available in the
right place at the right time.
Adapted with permission from the Washington State
Youth Suicide Prevention Program and the Maine
Youth Suicide Prevention Program
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Silent Epidemic

• Serious public health
• problem
• Preventable
• Neither random nor inevitable
• Research shows that during our lifetime
• 20 of us will have a suicide within our
• immediate family
• 60 of us will personally know someone who
• dies by suicide

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Attitudes and Beliefs Taboo Nature of
Suicide

• Taboo subjects suicide, rape, child abuse,
  mental illness, drug and alcohol abuse, incest
• Myths of Taboo Subjects
• History of suicide sin, crime, mental illness

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Truth Or Myth
Survivors at lower risk MH professionals only
ones who can help More common with the rich No
correlation between drugs, alcohol and
suicide As many as 2 youth attempts to every
death
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Most suffer from depression More Floridians die
by suicide than homicide Most have made up their
minds More suicides during Christmas
holidays People who are suicidal tend to hide it

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Need to take all talk seriously Suicide rates
for 15-24 year olds have more than doubled since
the 1950s while other rates stayed about the
same Asking may encourage the idea Elderly have
the highest rate Important not to break the
trust of confidentiality
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2005 National Statistics
32,637 suicides for the US (89.4 per
day) Average of 1 older person every one hour
and 37 minutes killed themselves White men over
the age of 85 are at the greatest risk of all
age-gender-race groups In 2005, 85 year old
white males had a suicide rate of 48.72 per
100,000 (11.0 for Nation)
Source CDCs WISQARS website and Fatal Injury
Reports
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Florida Statistics
In 2007, there were 2,570 suicides in Florida Of
those lost to suicide, 550 were over the age of
65 Tragically, on average, over 10 of Floridas
elderly over the age of 65 die by suicide each
week
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Characteristics of Elderly Suicide
Fewer warnings of intent Attempts more
planned Less likely to survive More frail
More isolated (less likely to be rescued) More
violent methods (Over 70 with firearms)
Elderly made up 12.4 of 2004 population but
represented 16 of the suicides Source CDC

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Not Just Statistics
Statistics alone dont paint the whole
picture Suicide is devastating to family,
friends, and communities Opportunities exist to
help
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Understanding People in Crisis Why Everyone Is
Vulnerable
Stressors are infinite
Assets are finite
Pressures
Assets
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A Person May Feel They
Cant stop the pain Cant think clearly Cant
make decisions Cant sleep, eat or work Cant
make the sadness go away Cant see the future
without pain Cant see themselves as
worthwhile Cant get someones attention
Source AAS _at_ www.suicidology .org
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Cup Full of Problems
Each cup represents a problem that a person may
be having. Only rule is that the cups cannot be
stacked inside one another.
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Depression and Suicide
Often goes undiagnosed until a crisis occurs
Not a normal part of aging A medical condition
that can and should be treated AT ANY
AGE Untreated depression in the elderly is
more likely to lead to suicide than in any other
group
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The Reality of It
More than 2 million of the 34 million Americans
age 65 or older suffer from depression
Depression present in vast majority of
suicides for those 60 years and older Major
depression disorder most associated with
suicide in the elderly widely under-recognized
and under-treated Source Depression and
Suicide Facts For Older Adults, NIMH
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Risk Factors For Older Adults
Depression Prior suicide attempt Marital
status single or divorced Physical illness,
pain, and functional impairment Isolation and
decreased social support Personality
inflexibility, rigid coping Family discord,
losses (recent bereavement) Major changes in
social roles (retirement) Access to firearms
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Warning Signs and CluesWhat To Look For
The red flags that something is wrong Changes
in a persons behavior, feelings, and beliefs
about oneself that are maladaptive or
out-of-character
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I Ideation S Substance Abuse
P Purposelessness A Anxiety T Trapped H
Hopelessness W Withdrawal A Anger R
Recklessness M Mood Change Source American
Association of Suicidology, November 2003
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Some Signs Demand Immediate Action
Statements about death, hopelessness,
helplessness or worthlessness Preoccupied with
death Stockpiling medications or obtaining
weapon Putting affairs in order giving away
things Unusual visiting or calling people one
cares about Suddenly happier, calmer
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In Summary
There is no typical suicide victim There are no
absolute reasons for suicide There are no
all-inclusive predictive lists of warning signs
or a definitive method for determining if a
person is or is not suicidal Suicide is always
multi-dimensional High lethality implies
interventions must be aggressive
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Protective Factors

• Positive conditions and
• personal/social resources
• Promote resiliency and reduce the
• potential for suicide
• Ability to manage or cope with
• adversity or stress

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Protective Factors For Older Adults

• Sense of purpose and identity
• Access to resources
• Supportive networks
• Supportive family relationships
• Help-seeking behaviors
• Ability to live independently
• Involvement in community activities
• Better preparation for retirement

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What To DoIntervention - 3 Basic Steps
SHOW YOU CARE ASK THE QUESTION GET
HELP Adapted with permission from the
Washington Youth Suicide Prevention Program
http//www.yspp.org
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SHOW YOU CARE
Trust your judgment Be Genuine - show them you
truly care Share observations and
concerns Concern can counter their sense of
hopelessness Reflect what you hear LISTEN!
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Ask The Question
Dont assume they arent the suicidal type
Be direct. What I hear you saying is youre
in a lot of pain and youre thinking of killing
yourself Are you thinking about
suicide? Do they have a plan, the means to
carry out the plan more detailed the plan
the greater the risk Dont have to
solve all their problems but you must get
help
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Suicide Paraphrase Activity
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Get Help - How To Help

• Your support in building hope and finding help
  truly can make the difference between life and
  death.
• If you have any reason to suspect a person may
  attempt suicide or engage in self-harm,
• DO NOT LEAVE THE PERSON ALONE

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Resources

• Supportive friends
• Family members
• Clergy
• Mental Health Agency
• Counselor or therapist
• Family physician
• Local hospital emergency room
• Crisis Center 9-1-1
• 1-800-SUICIDE
• 1-800-273-TALK

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Additional Resources

• Wide range of local support group- mental health,
  survivors, AA
• Law enforcement 9-1-1 and Baker Act
• Local crisis center
• Meals on Wheels
• Area Agency on Aging
• Faith community

• FL Abuse Hotline 1-800-96ABUSE
• Substance Abuse programs
• Community health department
• Elder Helpline
• 1-800-955-8770
• Elder Abuse
• 1-800-962-2873

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Group Role Play
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Conclusion

• It doesnt take a
• professional to save a life
• We are all gatekeepers
• Preventing suicide is
• everyones business yours
• and mine
• Together we can end this
• deadly silence

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Post-training Survey
Please fill out the post-training survey and the
training evaluation form. Put completed forms in
the box provided.