Death by suicide in the elderly population is a phenomenon that is often ignored or neglected, and attracts less attention than suicide in the younger population.

It is necessary to pay attention to the risk factors in this population:

• Having depression is one of the most significant risk factors. Symptoms vary at this stage of life; often there is no sadness, and instead, people may experience restlessness, loss of appetite, sleep problems, and so on.
• History of previous suicide attempts.
• Loss of interest or abandonment of activities. Abandonment of medical check-ups or refusal of care from third parties.
• Feelings of guilt and/or hopelessness.
• Being a man who lives alone or who has little social or family support.
• Suffering abuse or neglect.
• Loneliness: feeling disconnected from one's social circle, family, or friends.
• Adverse life events, such as the death of loved ones.
• Chronic diseases, mainly those involving pain or disability, that cause a change in social interaction or participation and in which there is associated psychological suffering.
• Feelings of guilt, lack of self-esteem, and helplessness.
• Cognitive rigidity.
• Alcohol abuse.

Special attention should be paid to situations such as:

• Expression of suicidal thoughts.
• Accidental ingestion of medications and medication accumulation.
• Finding farewell notes, recent changes in insurance or wills, or the delivery of important personal items.
• Neglect of self-care.