Interview by Rui Pastorin
In early January, a 90-year-old senior citizen attempted suicide by drinking detergent, later being certified dead at the hospital.
Earlier this month, an 86-year-old local man hung himself using a cotton scarf on his balcony. Moreover, there have recently been a number of reports of citizens in their sixties or above who have died after “falling from a height” or have been found lifeless, although not all cases have been confirmed as suicides.
In the fourth quarter of last year, Macau logged 15 cases of suicide, with the victims aged between 22 and 96, according to a statement by the Health Bureau (SSM) in late January.
The Macau Post Daily spoke with Caritas Macau Secretary-General Paul Pun Chi Meng on the topic of suicides among seniors in a phone interview yesterday, during which he also mentioned the rising number of calls to the charity’s suicide prevention services.
The figures
From the 1,695 calls received from January to February this year, Pun noted that 176 were from seniors and that four out of 80 calls related to suicidal topics were from the elderly. Meanwhile, out of the 11,330 incoming calls in 2022, 623 of them were from people over 60 years old. There were also 401 suicide-related calls, with 40 coming from those aged 60 or above.
Pun said that, generally speaking, there have been more suicide cases worldwide among seniors than other cohorts or ages, adding that he believes that this is due to different reasons.
The reasons
The first, according to Pun, is due to illness or long-term diseases. Another is isolation, with some of the seniors being unemployed or unable to work and having less contact with the community, Pun said. As a result, “they have less mutual support”.
Moreover, as some people “don’t explore their horizons or build social networks with others”, they tend to be isolated when they retire, Pun said.
Pun also remarked that the younger generation can be busy and may not have much time to spend with senior citizens, while a lack of sleep may also be a contributing factor since the elderly “do not sleep much” when compared to other ages.
Reaching out
The importance of reaching out and communication was also highlighted by Pun, noting that visiting places such as a community centre is a choice and not something that can be forced on anyone. “If they [the seniors] choose not to talk to former colleagues [or] former classmates, they will be alone most of the time.
“I encourage people, especially those in the senior age groups, to meet each other occasionally [and] make phone calls”, he said. For seniors specifically, Pun recommends exploring opportunities to join activities, emphasising that going out is much better than staying at home.
People must find someone to listen to them when experiencing depression, he pointed out. “Citizens have to find a way to communicate with people” or, perhaps, even through Caritas’ suicide prevention services, Pun said.
Seeking treatment for illnesses before they get serious is also important, Pun stressed. He also underlined the effectiveness of home care services.
“For people who are frail and sick, of course, a community-based home care service is essential to help reduce suicidal cases”, Pun said, explaining that when somebody is in this state and nobody takes care of them, they feel isolated and lonely. This is especially true when there is less family support for them, Pun underlined.
Looking ahead
When asked if he thought that the situation would improve given the easing of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, Pun commented that normally people think that the cases would lessen and that the situation would improve, but said that he did not see things this way. “This all depends on whether or not their social network is strong or not, especially family support”.
Those needing support can contact Caritas Macau’s suicide prevention services on 2852 5222 (Chinese) or 2852 5777 (English).
An elderly woman walks along the waterfront near Kun Iam Statue in Nape. – Photo taken recently by Rui Pastorin
