This article presents an evaluation of Link-Plus, a social work service provided over the
telephone under the auspices of a suicide prevention hot line agency. The program targets the
elderly at increased risk of suicide by virtue of depression, social isolation, and unmet needs.
A two-group pretest-posttest design with randomization was used to test its effectiveness After
receiving standard crisis intervention, 31 participants provided a wait-list control group,
whereas 30 participants received immediate treatment. At 4 months, the amount of social contact
was improved, and there was a trend toward the reduction of depressive symptomatology. At an
8-month observation, the difference between the clients' pretest scores and posttest scores on
unmet needs was marginally significant, with clients having fewer unmet needs after receiving
services. This outreach strategy and telephone intervention is moderately effective in treating
older adults with depressive symptomatology, social isolation, and unmet needs.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
American Association of Retired Persons. ( 1995). A profile of older Americans. Washington, DC: Author.
2.
Blazer, D. (1991). Suicide risk factors: An epidemiological study . Journal of Gerontological Psychiatry, 24, 175-189.
3.
Bums, B., & Taube, C. (1990). Mental health services in general medical care and nursing homes. In B. Fogel, A. Furino, & G. Gottlieb (Eds.), Protecting minds at risk (pp. 63-84). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Press.
4.
Butler, R., & Lewis, M. (1995). Late-life depression: Where and how to intervene . Geriatrics, 50, 44-55.
5.
Carney, S., Rich, C., Burke, P., & Fowler, R. (1994). Suicide over 60: The San Diego study. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 42, 174-180.
6.
Conwell, Y. (1994). Suicide in the elderly. In L. S. Schneider, C. F. Reynolds, B. D. Lebowitz, & A. J. Friedhoff (Eds.), Diagnosis and treatment of depression in late life (pp. 397-418). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Press.
7.
Duke University. (1978). Multidimensional functional assessment: The OARS methodology. Durham, NC : Center for the Study of Aging and Human Development , Duke University.
8.
Fillenbaum, G. (1988). Multidimensional functional assessment of olderadults: The Duke Older Americans Resources and Services procedures. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
9.
George, L. (1992). Community and home care for mentally ill older adults. In J. Birren, R. Sloane, & G. Cohen (Eds.), Handbook of mental health and aging (pp. 794-815). San Diego, CA: Academic Press.
10.
Glass, J., & Reed, S. (1993). To live or die: A look at elderly suicide. Educational Gerontology, 19, 767-778.
11.
Haas, L., Benedict, J. , & Kobos, J. (1996). Psychotherapy by telephone. Professional Psychology : Research and Practice, 27, 154-160.
12.
Horgan, L. (1985). Specialty and general ambulatory mental health services. Archives of General Psychiatry, 42, 565-572.
13.
Leaf, P., Bruce, M., Tischler, G., Freeman, D., Weissman, M., & Meyers, J. (1988). Factors affecting the utilization of specialty and general medial mental health service. Medical Care, 26, 19-26.
14.
Lebowitz, B. (1988). Mental health policy and aging. Generations, 2, 53-56.
15.
Liptzin, B. (1991). The treatment of depression m older suicidal persons . Journal of Gerontological Psychiatry, 24, 203-215.
16.
Manton, K., Blazer, D., & Woodbury, M. (1987). Suicide in middle age and later life. Journal of Gerontology, 33, 763-768.
17.
McIntosh, J. (1985). Suicide among the elderly: Levels and trends. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 55, 288.
18.
McIntosh, J. (1992). Suicide data page: 1989. Denver, CO: American Association of Suicidology.
19.
Mercer, S. (1989). Elder suicide: A national survey of prevention and intervention programs. Washington, DC: American Association of Retired Persons.
20.
Mercer, S. (1992). Suicide and the elderly. In F. Turner (Ed.), Mental health and the elderly . (pp. 425-453). New York: Free Press.
21.
Morrow-Howell, N. (1992). Clinical case management: The hallmark of gerontological social work. Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 18, 199-231.
22.
National Center for Health Statistics. (1990 , March). Health-United States, 1989 (DHHS Publication [PHS]90-1232 . Washington, DC: Government Printing Office.
23.
National Institute of Mental Health. (1991 a). Diagnosis and treatment of depression: Consensus statement . Washington, DC: Author.
24.
National Institute of Mental Health. (1991 b). Suicide in the elderly. Washington, DC : Author.
25.
Neidhardt, E., & Allen, J. (1993). Family therapy with the elderly. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
26.
Osgood, N., & McIntosh, J. (1986). Suicide and the elderly: An annotated bibliography and review. New York: Greenwood .
27.
Pfeiffer, E. (1975). A short portable mental status exam for the assessment of organic brain deficits in elderly patients. Journal of the Amencan Geriatric Society, 23, 433-441.
28.
Richman, J. (1993). Preventing elderly suicide. New York: Springer.
29.
Schulz, J. (1995). The economics of aging. Westport, CT: Auburn House.
30.
Signor, R. (1991, December 27). Suicide rates for elderly up 35 pct . St. Louis Post-Dispatch, p. 1.
31.
Shane, P. (1987). Linkages between the mental health and aging systems . In E. Lurie & J. Swan (Eds.), Serving the mentally ill elderly (pp. 179-202). Lexington, KY: Lexington Books.
32.
Sheikh, J., & Yesavage, J. (1986). Geriatric Depression Scale. In T. Brink (Ed.), Clinical gerontology (pp. 165-174). New York: Haworth.
33.
Smyer, M., Zarit, S., & Quals, S. (1990). Psychological intervention with the aging individual . In J. Birren & K. Schaie (Eds.), The handbook of the psychology of aging (pp. 375-422). San Diego, CA: Academic Press.
34.
Strasburger, L., & Welpton, S. (1991). Elderly suicide: Minimizing risk for patient and professional. Journal of Genatric Psychology, 24, 235-259.
35.
Swan, J., & McCall, M. (1987). Mental health system components and the aged. In E. Lurie & J. Swan (Eds.), Serving the mentally ill elderly (pp. 111-138). Lexington, KY: Lexington Books.
36.
Yesavage, J. (1988). Geriatric Depression Scale. Psychopharmacology Bulletin, 24, 709-712.
