Did you know that the highest suicide rate is among men aged 85 and older, yet are less likely to use specialty mental health services?
If you work with older people and would like to learn how to help prevent suicide, Anglicare’s new free Suicide Prevention for Seniors Program can provide the training you need.
Suited to aged care workers, retirement living staff, pharmacists, geriatricians, GP practice staff (clinical and non-clinical) and anyone in NSW who works closely with older people, funded by the NSW Government, the program consists of a two-pronged approach.
A QPR (Question, Persuade and Refer) online training program (which takes about 1.5 hours) will teach you about the common causes of suicidal behaviour, the warning signs and how to question, persuade and refer someone who may be suicidal.
It’s general in nature and will equip you with the knowledge you need to move on to the workshop.
A follow-up online Zoom workshop for those who have completed the QPR online training is where the QPR suicide prevention training for seniors will be contextualised.
This course will teach you:
- about suicide in general and in the older population
- about risks and warning signs
- what to say and how to approach someone in suicidal crisis
- how to refer the person on for help and potentially save a life
- protective factors (the factors that help to lower the risk of suicide)
- and provide them with handy resources after the webinar and hear from people with lived experience
Participants will receive a certificate upon completion of the QPR course and resources after the workshop.
To register for this program, complete the online Suicide Prevention for Seniors Program Registration Form.
Places are available for April and May.
If you would like a session just for your team and you have a minimum of 12 participants, email Nancy.Gewargis@anglicare.org.au and a workshop can be organised for you.
