Suicide Prevention Month RibbonOn average, there are 132 suicides per day. In 2018 there were 1.4 million suicide attempts.  Suicide is a leading cause of death in the United States. September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month—a time to share resources and stories to shed light on this highly taboo and stigmatized topic. The National Alliance on mental Illness uses this month to reach out to those affected by suicide, raise awareness, and connect individuals with suicidal ideation to treatment services. It is also important to ensure that individuals, friends, and families have access to the resources they need to discuss suicide prevention.

You can learn more here: www.nami.org/get-involved/awareness-events/suicide-prevention-awareness-month.

More resources and helpful tools, including tips for raising awareness, can be found here: suicidepreventionlifeline.org/promote-national-suicide-prevention-month/

For Veterans, a situation can be intensified by their experiences during their military service. In 2017, Veterans accounted for 13.5% of all deaths by suicide among U.S. adults. Suicide rates are especially high among older Veterans. According to the VA, in 2016, about 58% of all Veterans committed suicide.

 

Posted in Care for Aging Veterans
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About Cheryl Hammons CFE, CSA

Cheryl Hammons is an experienced home care professional, published author, and frequent speaker. She has held several roles throughout her 12 years in the home care industry, including training, support, and operations. She currently serves as Strategic Partnership Director at Veterans Care Coordination where she focuses on building value-driven relationships, developing revenue-generating programs, and creating educational materials for home care partner companies. Cheryl is the author of "Embracing a New Normal: Dealing with Grief" and "Respecting Religious Differences in Home Care."