ELDERLY SUICIDE CASES
Parliament of Singapore · 15 February 2007
Official Report, 15 February 2007, Vol 82, Issue 10 · Open in the reader (summaries, search, filters)
ELDERLY SUICIDE CASES: **
(Profile and measures to address problem): **
7.
Ms Irene Ng Phek Hoong asked the Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports if he can provide an update on elderly suicide cases over the last five years, the profile of the elderly who take their lives and the measures taken by the Ministry to address this social problem, given our ageing society.
Dr Vivian Balakrishnan: Suicide cases over the last five years
There was an average of 65 elderly 2 resident suicides per year from 2002 to 2006 3 . The elderly resident suicide rate per 100,000 elderly residents has been relatively stable, averaging at 24 over the past five years. See Table 1 for the statistics.
Column: 1485
Elderly suicides by gender
In the period between 2002 and 2006, male elderly resident suicide rates have consistently been higher than the female elderly resident suicide rates. See Table 1. This is a consistent finding in studies across cultures 4 .
** Table 1: Total Elderly Resident Suicide Data, 2002-2006 **
Gender: |
2002: |
2003: |
2004: |
2005: |
2006: *
---|---|---|---|---|---
No.: |
%: |
No.: |
%: |
No.: |
%: |
No.: |
%: |
No.: |
%: Male
|
35
|
56
|
36
|
54
|
40
|
61
|
55
|
71
|
28
|
54
Female
|
27
|
44
|
31
|
46
|
26
|
39
|
22
|
29
|
24
|
46
Total: |
62: |
100: |
67: |
100: |
66: |
100: |
77: |
100: |
52: |
100:
Elderly Resident Suicide Rate per 100,000 elderly residents: |
24.6: |
25.6: |
23.9: |
26.5: |
17.0: Source: ICA. Figures for 2006 are provisional and subject to change.
Elderly suicides by age groups
In general, the elderly resident suicides were fairly distributed across the younger and older elderly subgroups.
- _Table 2: Elderly Resident Suicides by Age Groups, 2002-2006 _ **
Age Group: |
2002: |
2003: |
2004: |
2005: |
2006: *
---|---|---|---|---|---
65-69
|
13
|
15
|
16
|
16
|
11
70-74
|
11
|
14
|
12
|
18
|
14
75-79
|
13
|
12
|
12
|
14
|
11
80-84
|
12
|
10
|
15
|
14
|
8
85 & over
|
13
|
16
|
11
|
15
|
8
Source: ICA . Figures for 2006 are provisional and subject to change.
Column: 1487
Studies have reported that the main reasons for elderly suicides were health problems and depression. This applies to both genders. Suicide is complex and multi-faceted and sometimes, there could be more than a single reason.
Measures taken by the Ministry and the community
There are community services to help relieve the social isolation that can contribute to depression. Such programmes serve to keep the vulnerable elderly, especially those who are living alone or are without adequate family support, socially engaged. These services, which are funded by the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS), National Council for Social Service (NCSS) and Voluntary Welfare Organisations (VWOs) also refer the elderly and their families to other appropriate services as necessary. The services and programmes include:
• Counselling services provided by Family Service Centres, the SAGE Counselling Centre, the Samaritans of Singapore and a hospice helpline (tel: 1800-333-6666) 5 and hospitals;
• Support network programmes by Seniors Activity Centres for those living in rental flats, Befriending Services, Day Care Centres and Neighbourhood Links;
• Financial assistance for elderly person in financial difficulties or could not afford healthcare through the ComCare Fund and Medifund respectively.
Elder suicide prevention is complex and the collaborative efforts of all stakeholders, including health and social service providers, families and the police, are necessary to prevent elder suicide. Fundamentally, the family is the first line of care and we believe that strong family ties and family support provides the elderly emotional well-being. For those who do not have adequate family support and are more vulnerable, the community will need to keep a look out for them. Community service providers, the VWOs, and grassroots members know the ground best, and are in a better position to identify these vulnerable elderly and befriend them.
On MCYS' part, more resources and efforts will be made to encourage the elderly to be socially engaged and to age actively. We hope that keeping active will help elderly persons keep mentally and physically fit, have emotional well-being so that they do not fall into depression .
2 Defined as Singapore residents aged 65 years and above.
3 All data for 2006 are provisional and subject to change.
4 "Recent Trends in Elderly Suicide Rates in a multi-ethnic Asian city", in International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 2002, Kua Ee-Heok, Ko Soo-Meng and Ng Tze-Pin, Department of Psychological Medicine, NUS, Singapore.
5 The hotline is a service provided by the Singapore Hospice Council, manned by professionally trained nurse counsellors from the National Cancer Centre.
Column: 1487
Source: Singapore Parliament Official Report (Hansard) for 15 February 2007. Republished on SGParliament.