ELDERLY SUICIDES

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ELDERLY SUICIDES:

(Early intervention measures): 13.

Ms Eunice Elizabeth Olsen asked the Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports given the increasing elderly suicide rate, what is being done to promote early intervention amongst the elderly, for example, those under the Public Assistance Scheme.

The Minister, Prime Minister's Office (Mr Lim Boon Heng): Suicide rates in Singapore have declined significantly over the years. However, suicide rates among the elderly are still comparatively higher than the younger age groups. In fact, the suicide rate for those aged 75 years and above is almost two times that of those aged between 40 and 54 years old. And this is worrying.

Suicide is due to the interaction of a number of factors. There is no one root cause. It follows then that intervention efforts need to be multi-pronged, and involve different players including the family, the community and the state.

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Depression in the elderly can lead to suicides. Loneliness and social isolation, sickness and ill-health, the loss of a beloved spouse – all these can trigger depression and a sense of hopelessness or lack of meaning in life among the elderly.

Family has a very crucial role to play. Family support can help to strengthen the emotional and mental well-being of an elderly person. There is no substitute for family in giving the elderly or, in fact, every one of us, a sense of purpose, meaning and joy in life.

Beyond the family, the community also has a role to play. This is why we launched the Wellness Programme in November last year and started the Council for Third Age (or C3A) to promote active ageing. Through the Wellness Programme and C3A, we hope that seniors will form social interest groups, stay physically active to delay the onset of illness, and keep mentally alert as they pursue hobbies and interesting activities.

When the elderly come and do things together regularly, the bonds among them strengthen and deepen. And if some of these interest groups and activities help to make friends out of neighbours, they not only reduce loneliness amongst the elderly, they also lead to mutual help and support. This is why it is important for seniors to age actively, be socially engaged and join in community and interest groups.

There also needs to be increased public awareness of mental health issues of the elderly, including depression. We should reduce the stigma. Family, friends and neighbours who suspect the elderly may be depressed, should encourage them to seek help early or call for help on their behalf.

The Health Promotion Board (HPB) will continue to raise awareness of mental health issues among the elderly. They will

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also work with Voluntary Welfare Organisations, such as the Singapore Association for Mental Health (SAMH) and the Samaritans of Singapore (SOS) to organise regular outreach programmes that include talks, discussion forums and workshops, to raise public awareness on mental health and suicide.

MCYS and NCSS work closely with various community organisations to help vulnerable elderly cope with crises or stressful periods of their lives. Some of the services available include:

(i) Counselling services provided by the Family Service Centres, the SAGE Counselling Centre, the Samaritans of Singapore and a hospice helpline and hospitals;

(ii) Support network programmes by Seniors Activity Centres for those living in rental flats and befriending services to lonely elderly. I think this is the particular focus of Ms Olsen's question.

(iii) Lastly, financial assistance is available for elderly persons without family who face financial difficulties through the ComCare Fund.

Here, I would like to inform the House that, to date, we do not know of any Public Assistance recipient committing suicide.

Sir, elder suicide prevention is complex. It requires the elderly to lead an active life and stay socially engaged. Family, friends and neighbours also need to help support the elderly, and encourage them to seek professional help if they are depressed. Suicide prevention cuts across the work of various Government agencies and many voluntary welfare organisations. With a comprehensive approach to mental wellness, we hope that the number of suicide cases, especially among the elderly, will come down.

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Ms Eunice Elizabeth Olsen: Thank you, Minister. I have three supplementary questions. Firstly, what are the current resources available to address this issue and, moving forward, does the Minister see this as a priority in the whole gamut of ageing issues? Secondly, is there any target to bring down the suicide rates? And, thirdly, what the Minister thinks is the best way to address this issue?

Mr Lim Boon Heng: As far as resources are concerned, I have already mentioned some of them. MCYS and NCSS have provided support for various voluntary welfare organisations to look after, particularly, the poor aged. The Health Promotion Board is also providing funds for public education. With respect to a target, I think it is very difficult for us to set a target about how low the suicide rate you can set. But what I think we should do, which comes to her third point, is that we should address the issue of loneliness among the elderly and since we are going to have more elderly amongst us in the years ahead, then we need to do as much as possible, work on the ground to get our seniors to come out of their homes, and not to stay at home and therefore be isolated, leading to depression. It is a massive effort. We are doing this through the Wellness Programme, and there are encouraging results. But after a period of two years, we will be able then to say what works and what does not, and therefore roll it out across the country.

Ms Eunice Elizabeth Olsen: Thank you, Minister. I just wanted an answer to my first question, whether or not the Minister sees this as a priority in the whole gamut of ageing issues.

Mr Lim Boon Heng: To reduce social isolation is indeed the top priority. So for the various ageing issues that we are dealing with – financial security, healthcare funding and the social engagement of seniors – and if we are successful in

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making life more pleasant for seniors and getting most of them, if not, all of them, to be active, then I think the incidence of suicide will certainly fall.