Discussion of Late-Life Suicide: How Social Workers Perceive and Intervene in Elderly Suicide

As the prevalence of suicide among the elderly has developed in recent years into one of the more serious social problems in South Korea, preventing these elderly suicides has emerged as a national priority. Korean social workers play a major role in the recent elderly suicide prevention efforts that were implemented starting in 2007. The purpose of this qualitative study is to investigate the ways in which social work practitioners perceive, assess, and intervene in suicidal behavior by their elderly clients. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 14 social workers involved with elderly suicide prevention. Both in-depth interviews and field notes were analyzed through qualitative content analysis. Three main themes emerged from the data analysis: (a) an understanding of late-life suicide within an ecological framework with existential thought, (b) the challenges and barriers that hinder the provision of assistance to suicidal older adults, and (c) the assertion that elderly suicide prevention is to promote both well-being and well-dying. The findings revealed ways in which social workers incorporate unique perspectives into working with suicidal elderly clients. They also presented perceived challenges facing intervention and ways in which those challenges might be addressed. Identifying social workers' field experiences with suicidal older adults may contribute to the empirical knowledge base needed to better develop effective suicide prevention strategies. The implications for gerontological education and training are highlighted.