Balloon-release planned in memory of suicide victims
September 8, 2021
Sheila Harris
September is “Suicide Prevention Month.” In memory of suicide victims, Senior Life Solutions, in conjunction with personnel from area hospitals, will host a Suicide Awareness Balloon Release at 2 p.m., September 16, in the parking lot near the main entrance of Mercy Hospital in Cassville.
Karen George, the Program Nurse/Program Director for Senior Life Solutions, says the event will be open for public participation this year.
“Suicide is something that affects the entire community,” she said. “Friends and family members of anyone who has taken his or her own life are invited to participate in the balloon release if they wish. We will hand out helium-filled balloons for participants to write a message on if they’d like, maybe something like, ‘I love you,’ or, ‘I miss you.’ And, if they want to, they will be given the opportunity to share a memory of their loved one.
“Residents are welcome to attend, whether they participate in the balloon release or not,” George emphasized.
A Suicide Awareness Walk will also be hosted by Senior Life Solutions on September 30 at 2 p.m. Those who wish to participate may gather in the parking lot near the front entrance of Mercy Hospital in Cassville for a short suicide awareness presentation, followed by a walk.
According to George, the number of people who have taken their own lives has risen dramatically since the beginning of the COVID pandemic over a year ago.
“Isolation and loneliness are a huge part of the problem,” George said, “especially among the elderly who have been denied visits from friends and family members while living in nursing homes. Even though keeping them isolated was for their physical well-being, their mental health suffered.”
“Elderly residents often don’t have access to information, nor the ability to research information, about COVID-19 and its repercussions, George said,” and they typically react in one of two ways to what they’ve been told: either succumb to paralyzing fear, or take up an attitude of defiance, such as an elderly nursing home resident with profound dementia who knew enough to say, ‘I’m tired of this #*#.’”
According to George, elderly people are remarkably successful at committing suicide if they decide to do so.
“In most cases, it’s been well premeditated,” she said.
According to a 2019 data report from the Center for Disease Control (CDC), suicide was the ninth leading cause of death in Missouri for that year: third for ages 10 - 24, second for ages 25 - 34, fourth for ages 35 - 54, eighth for ages 55 - 64, and 17th for ages 65 and older.
The following simple actions can be taken to help prevent suicide:
• Learn how to care for your own mental health. A self-care guide can be downloaded at afsp.org/KeepGoing.
• Have a #RealConvo with someone in your life. View #RealConvo guides at afsp.org/RealConvo.
• Reach out to your public officials to demand smart mental health legislation. Learn how to advocate and take action to prevent suicide at afsp.org/ActionCenter.
• Bring suicide education and support programs to your school, workplace and community. Connect with your local chapter representative at afsp.org/Chapters.
• Share the warning signs, and learn what research tells us about suicide. Learn more about the warning signs at afsp.org/Signs.
• Add crisis resources to your phone, and encourage friends and family to do the same.
• Find a list of suicide prevention resources at afsp.org/Resources.
• Connect suicide loss survivors to healing resources. Explore loss and healing resources at afsp.org/Loss.
Sheila Harris
September is “Suicide Prevention Month.” In memory of suicide victims, Senior Life Solutions, in conjunction with personnel from area hospitals, will host a Suicide Awareness Balloon Release at 2 p.m., September 16, in the parking lot near the main entrance of Mercy Hospital in Cassville.
Karen George, the Program Nurse/Program Director for Senior Life Solutions, says the event will be open for public participation this year.
“Suicide is something that affects the entire community,” she said. “Friends and family members of anyone who has taken his or her own life are invited to participate in the balloon release if they wish. We will hand out helium-filled balloons for participants to write a message on if they’d like, maybe something like, ‘I love you,’ or, ‘I miss you.’ And, if they want to, they will be given the opportunity to share a memory of their loved one.
“Residents are welcome to attend, whether they participate in the balloon release or not,” George emphasized.
A Suicide Awareness Walk will also be hosted by Senior Life Solutions on September 30 at 2 p.m. Those who wish to participate may gather in the parking lot near the front entrance of Mercy Hospital in Cassville for a short suicide awareness presentation, followed by a walk.
According to George, the number of people who have taken their own lives has risen dramatically since the beginning of the COVID pandemic over a year ago.
“Isolation and loneliness are a huge part of the problem,” George said, “especially among the elderly who have been denied visits from friends and family members while living in nursing homes. Even though keeping them isolated was for their physical well-being, their mental health suffered.”
“Elderly residents often don’t have access to information, nor the ability to research information, about COVID-19 and its repercussions, George said,” and they typically react in one of two ways to what they’ve been told: either succumb to paralyzing fear, or take up an attitude of defiance, such as an elderly nursing home resident with profound dementia who knew enough to say, ‘I’m tired of this #*#.’”
According to George, elderly people are remarkably successful at committing suicide if they decide to do so.
“In most cases, it’s been well premeditated,” she said.
According to a 2019 data report from the Center for Disease Control (CDC), suicide was the ninth leading cause of death in Missouri for that year: third for ages 10 - 24, second for ages 25 - 34, fourth for ages 35 - 54, eighth for ages 55 - 64, and 17th for ages 65 and older.
The following simple actions can be taken to help prevent suicide:
• Learn how to care for your own mental health. A self-care guide can be downloaded at afsp.org/KeepGoing.
• Have a #RealConvo with someone in your life. View #RealConvo guides at afsp.org/RealConvo.
• Reach out to your public officials to demand smart mental health legislation. Learn how to advocate and take action to prevent suicide at afsp.org/ActionCenter.
• Bring suicide education and support programs to your school, workplace and community. Connect with your local chapter representative at afsp.org/Chapters.
• Share the warning signs, and learn what research tells us about suicide. Learn more about the warning signs at afsp.org/Signs.
• Add crisis resources to your phone, and encourage friends and family to do the same.
• Find a list of suicide prevention resources at afsp.org/Resources.
• Connect suicide loss survivors to healing resources. Explore loss and healing resources at afsp.org/Loss.