Is veteran status and suicide risk assessed in community long-term care? A review of the states' assessment instruments.
Given recent policy initiatives to address suicide risk among older persons and veterans, community-based elder serving agencies may serve an important role in identifying and referring individuals at risk for suicide. A review of state-level long-term assessment instruments was conducted to determine whether veteran status and suicide are assessed. Data from forty-three state's Units on Aging instruments were content analyzed. Results indicate that over two thirds of the states in this review included questions about suicide and veterans in their assessments, 69.8% and 67.4% respectively. Suicide risk among elders and veterans must be addressed at local, state, and federal levels so that concerted attention and oversight can be provided for matching elders to the services they need.
Matthieu
Monica M
MM
St. Louis VA Medical Center, Washington University in St. Louis, MO, USA. mmatthieu@wustl.edu
Welch
Benjamin
B
Morrow-Howell
Nancy
N
Proctor
Enola
E
Nickel
Michael
M
Navarro
Jessica
J
Moon
Alyson
A
D000375:Aging; D006801:Humans; D012306:Risk; D013405:Suicide; D013997:Time Factors; D014481:United States; D014728:Veterans