Social isolation sends suicide bids soaring among elderly

SUICIDE attempts by elderly people have risen as much as sixfold during the pandemic because of depression and anxiety from social isolation, says the Royal College of Psychiatrists.

Dr Amanda Thompsell, chairman of the college’s faculty of old age psychiatry, told The Daily Telegraph she was concerned at the increasing number of “serious” suicide attempts by elderly people who could see no end to their isolation due to shielding during lockdown and potentially beyond.

“They have been particularly hit by social isolation,” said Dr Thompsell.

Whereas other age groups could counter depression through the therapy of exercise and meeting people, the elderly had been told they had to stay indoors and were denied visits by loved ones, said Dr Thompsell.

“I am concerned that we are seeing a lot more suicide attempts by the elderly,” she said. “These are not pleas for help but serious suicide events.

“One large acute service said it had seen more suicide attempts during Covid-19 period than in the whole of 2018. This is data from one service, but an increase in suicide attempts in older people has been reported by other oldage psychiatrists.”

The college fears an impending “tsunami” of mental health referrals because of the problems being stored up during the lockdown.

A survey by the college of 1,300 mental health doctors from across the UK found that 43 per cent had seen an increase in their urgent and emergency caseload while 45 per cent had seen a fall in their most routine appointments.