A Long Island elder law attorney provides help to people of all ages so they can work towards achieving safety and security during their golden years. Many older people do not have enough saved for retirement and face substantial financial stress as a result. This can impact every aspect of a retirement, causing great unhappiness. 
Financial stress is just one of the issues that older people face. Family issues, loneliness, and a host of other problems can arise when you are older. Many seniors are not well-equipped to cope with this kind of life stress. As a result, there is a risk that seniors will contemplate suicide. For those older people who are having suicidal thoughts, there is help available. CBS New York provides information on a Long Island town that has worked with a crisis center to create a special hotline for older people who are thinking about ending their lives.
Hotline for Suicidal Seniors in Long Island
According to CBS New York, approximately one out of every three senior citizens aged 65 and older will experience some type of serious crisis that impacts them in such a substantial way, they will begin considering the meaning of their lives. This results in a good number of these older adults contemplating suicide. The holidays, especially, are a time when many older people think about whether or not their lives are worth living.
In order to provide essential support for these vulnerable older people, the town of Hempstead partnered with Long Island Crisis Center in order to create and staff a suicide prevention hotline. The hotline is specifically dedicated to addressing the issues that older people face, and trained staff will be available to answer calls from stressed and depressed seniors 24 hours per day, seven days per week.
The Hempstead Town Supervisor who was instrumental in helping to form the partnership for the hotline, told CBS New York that it was important to provide this resource because: “People in their senior years, particularly at this time of year entering the holiday season, can be subject to fits of depression, bouts of suicidal thoughts.”
The leading cause of suicide among older people is isolation, and this is an especially big problem for seniors aged 85 and older. A lot of people within this age group no longer have families or friends who they are actively involved with, and many may feel as if they have no one to turn to. A hotline provides at least a source of support if depression becomes too much for lonely older people.
In addition to answering the phones to help seniors who call in on their own, the staff of the Long Island Crisis Center is also going to make outreach calls to check on seniors who may be at risk for self-harm. Often, seniors will not reach out for the help they need, especially if they feel alone and vulnerable. Others may need to make the call to the hotline for them so they can get essential support from trained counselors who can help them to manage sadness and depression.
The Town of Hampstead will help to get the word out about the hotline by mailing flyers to seniors that detail the signs of depression. The flyers will also give the suicide hotline telephone number so seniors who receive the flyers can make contact. Several seminars will be hosted locally on loneliness as well, in order to educate the community about the importance of reaching out and about the risk of loneliness. With the right community supports, many older people who are at risk of suicide can be put into contact with caring professionals who will help them to see that life is worth living.
Getting Help from A Long Island Elder Law Attorney
While life can be hard for lots of reasons, making plans when you are younger can relieve some of the stress and concern that could plague you during your golden years. Mark S. Eghrari & Associates PLLC is here to provide help with making your plans to achieve financial security, to get medical care and to care for your family as you get older.
We also help seniors with other issues that can affect their lives, with services like nursing home planning and legacy plan. To find out more about the different services we offer, join us for a free seminar. You can also give us a call at (631) 265-0599 or contact us online to talk with a Long Island elder law attorney for personalized advice.
Mark S. Eghrari, Estate Planning Attorney
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