THE CARE GIVEN to people over the age of 65 who self-harm needs to be radically overhauled, according to a new UK study.

The research found that almost 90% of over 65s who had harmed themselves were not referred to a specialist mental health assessment after visiting their GP.

The likelihood of referral was also found to be significantly lower for people who live in socially deprived areas.

The statistics make for alarming reading because, the report says, older adults who self harm have a higher risk of dying from “unnatural causes” (particularly suicide) compared to people who don’t have a history of self-harm.

The authors noted that older adults often face a decline in functional ability and they often experience bereavement and social isolation, which are all strongly linked with self-harm.

“We sometimes think of self-harm as a problem in younger people and of course it is. But it affects older adults too and the concerning issue is the link with increased risk of suicide,” one of the authors of the study, Professor Nav Kapur, said.

We hope our study will alert clinicians, service planners, and policy makers to the need to implement preventative measures for this potentially vulnerable group of people. Referral and management of mental health conditions are likely to be key.

The study, published today in The Lancet Psychiatry journal, also noted a perturbing trend in the medication that is being prescribed.

Around one person in every eight is prescribed a tricyclic antidepressant, which can be dangerous in overdose. Prescribing this type of medication goes against the UK’s national clinical guidelines.

The authors said that less toxic medication needs to be used in older adults for the management of both mental illness and pain related conditions because drug ingestion is one of the main methods of self-harm.

If you need to talk, contact:

• Samaritans 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.ie
• National Suicide Helpline 1800 247 247 – (suicide prevention, self-harm, bereavement)
• Aware 1800 80 48 48 (depression, anxiety)
• Pieta House 01 601 0000 or email mary@pieta.ie – (suicide, self-harm)
• Teen-Line Ireland 1800 833 634 (for ages 13 to 19)
• Childline 1800 66 66 66 (for under 18s)