Suicide and Older Adults
Dr. Kim Van Orden presented the latest research on the epidemiology and public health significance of late-life suicide. She provided an overview of risk and protective factors and models for integrating these factors. She concluded with what is known about how to intervene to prevent late-life suicide.
Kim Van Orden, PhD is Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Rochester Medical Center. She is a clinical psychologist and her research addresses the role of social connectedness in the etiology and prevention of late-life suicide. In particular, a substantial portion of her work involves applying the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide to understand the mechanisms of late-life suicide prevention. She is co-author of the book, The Interpersonal Theory of Suicide: Guidance for Working with Suicidal Clients. She is the Project Director of and Co-Investigator on a CDC-funded randomized trial of peer companionship for older adults. She is currently awarded a career development award from NIMH to study the psychosocial mechanisms whereby a behavioral intervention reduces suicide risk in older adults. Kim also maintains an active clinical practice providing cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, and interpersonal psychotherapy to older adults.