#060- Suicide is heart breaking and tragic. Today's guest, Yeates Conwell, MD, geriatric psychiatrist and leading expert on suicide among older adults is on the podcast to guide us in understanding late life suicide and how we can help older adults who may be suicidal. With older white men over 85 having the highest rates of suicide, more than any other age group, it's essential that we have tools for addressing and preventing elderly suicide. Here's what we'll cover in this episode:Statistics about older adults and suicide?Why do older white men have the highest rates of suicide?Among older adults, what is suicidal behavior mainly associated with?How to help older adults who may be suicidal? Here's a peek inside the episode:[05:19] Late life suicide is trend all around the world. Dr. Conwell sheds light on statistics about older adults and suicide.[09:59] Learn what may be contributing to older white men having the highest rate of suicide.[13:54] Ageism affects the mental health of older adults, including access to mental health care and our own attitudes about mental health as we age. Learn more about this phenomenon here. [21:23] Learn the 5-D framework for understanding suicide risk in older adults: Depression, Disease, Disability, Disconnectedness, and Deadly means. [29:21] Struggling to have a difficult conversation with your older loved one? It may be simpler than you think. Learn more. [35:35] Primary care providers have an important role in suicide prevention[40:19] Next steps if your older loved one is making statements about suicide.  If you or someone you know is in crisis or struggling with thoughts about harming themselves or others, please reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255  Click here to visit the show notes page to learn more.Click here to listen to the podcastAre you a licensed therapist, psychiatrist, or neuropsychologist who specializes with older adults? Download this free guide and be the first to know when the Center for Mental Health and Aging's provider directory is ready for you to join. Together, we can help older adults get the mental health care they need by helping them get access to YOU. Help others find this show by subscribing and leaving a review wherever you listen to the podcast, or here on i-tunes.--DISCLAIMER: The material on this site is for informational and educational purposes only. Any comments Dr. Koepp may make on the TV Show, blog, or in response to an individual’s story or comments should not be construed as establishing a psychologist-patient relationship between Dr. Koepp and the individual. None of Dr. Koepp's show, website, social media, comments, or group information should be considered a substitute for individualized medical or mental health assessment, diagnosis, or treatment. Dr. Koepp is only representing herself in her TV Show, blogs, and on her website.