ABSTRACT
As the author begin the twenty-first century, two trends that characterized the last part of the last century will continue: an increase in the number and rate of suicides in those 65 and older; and increasingly louder cries for the “right to die” and legalization of physician-assisted suicide. Ageism is a factor influencing both trends. In this chapter we will examine the problem of elderly suicide, focusing on major factors related to this issue. Some groups of older adults are more vulnerable to suicide than others. Older males are at greater risk than older females. At all stages of the life cycle, males are more likely to commit suicide than females, and are three times more likely to die from suicide. Many factors increase the risk of suicide in late life. Loss is a factor.
