Letter: Not enough being done about suicide

Thursday, Aug. 9, 2007 | 7:07 a.m.

The Suicide Prevention Action Network USA (SPAN USA) applauds Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., for his passionate efforts to reduce older adult suicide. Regarding your Aug. 5 story, "Elders deepen the tragedy of state's suicide rate," it is worth noting that Nevada is not alone - the top four states in the nation for older adult suicide are west of the Mississippi River.

We need better research, better data and better community programs and services to address the specific factors of older adult suicide - all of which Sen. Reid's Stop Senior Suicide Act would provide.

Although we cannot say with certainty the exact reasons older adults complete suicide at higher rates, there are some startling facts we do know. Late life onset of depression - a very treatable condition - along with isolation, chronic physical illness, loss of social support and lack of integration into their communities after a major loss such as the death of a spouse, are among the top reasons why those over 65 have the highest suicide rates across the nation.

The Stop Senior Suicide Act is a comprehensive effort to reduce suicide among seniors through several strategies. Most notably, it takes the major preven tive step of ending discrimination in our Medicare program against older adults for mental health care.

As the older adult population continues to grow in the years ahead, an ounce of prevention now can save many lives in the future.

Jerry Reed, Washington