The suicide rate among middle -aged and early
senior Americans has climbed 28.4 percent, in the last decade, according to a recent government report.
The trend is even more pronounced among white men and women in those
age group. Their suicide rate climbed almost 40 percent in the time period of 1999 to 2009.
The
suicide rate for seniors aged 65 to 84 dropped slightly to 14.5 percent, but increased to 17.6 percent for those in the age group 85 and older.
There are many theories as to why the suicide rate is higher among the middle-aged as well as seniors, those 55 to 64.
One of the leading theories deals with the loss of financial stability due to the financial crisis and housing collapse of the last decade. A lot of
older Americans remain worried about their futures because of weak hiring, lower bank accounts, the continued unstable housing market and more.
According to Dr. Ileana Arias, many , "
boomers had great expectations for what their life might look like, but I think perhaps it hasn’t panned out that way."
The rise in the suicide rate among those who are 85 and older has been linked to
loneliness , terminal illness and other factors which come with a longer life span.
The CDC report is the first to highlight the issue of suicide among the aged.
