[Interview] "Time for Long-Term Strategies in Elderly Suicide Prevention" [Elderly Mind Connection]

④Interview with Secretary General of Korea Suicide Prevention Association
‘Detailed Policies’ Needed in a Changing Society
Using Smart Devices to Alleviate Social Isolation

Lee Hae-woo, Secretary General of the Korea Suicide Prevention Association, emphasized, “It is time to raise social awareness about suicide prevention and mental health for people in their 40s and 50s, and to develop long-term strategies to ensure a healthy old age.”

Lee Haewoo, Secretary General of the Korea Suicide Prevention Association, is having an interview photo taken. Photo by Korea Suicide Prevention Association

In an interview with Asia Economy on the afternoon of the 6th, Secretary General Lee said, “The incidence rates of health problems vary by age group, such as those in their 60s, 70s, and 80s and above, and each group faces different difficulties in life,” adding, “Careful policies tailored to the changing social environment are necessary, and suicide prevention policies must be thoroughly analyzed.”

The Korea Suicide Prevention Association was established on December 18, 2003, to create a safe society based on the spirit of respecting life. It carries out various activities including suicide prevention education, research and development, policy proposals, comprehensive academic conferences on suicide prevention, publicity, and suicide prevention networks.

Currently, Secretary General Lee works as a professor in the Department of Psychiatry at Kangwon National University Hospital, caring for patients on the front lines. He introduced, “Meeting people struggling with various mental illnesses makes me realize how precious life is every time. I thought it was important for our society to recognize the importance of mental health and to have policies that support it. That is how I started working with the Korea Suicide Prevention Association in 2004.”

Lee Haewoo, Secretary General of the Korea Suicide Prevention Association, is having an interview photo taken. Provided by the Korea Suicide Prevention Association

He points to depression as the core cause of the high suicide rate among the elderly in Korea. Secretary General Lee said, “Most elderly people who think about or attempt suicide suffer from depression. There is research showing that, regardless of other factors, the more severe the depression in the elderly, the greater its impact on suicide,” and added, “A significant number of elderly people also suffer from physical illnesses. There are cases where it is difficult to utilize community networks due to weakened social support systems and musculoskeletal disorders.”

He diagnosed that the high suicide rate among elderly men living alone is due to the social network ceasing to function after retirement. Secretary General Lee explained, “Men in their 50s and 60s who do not have a spouse often experience social isolation and loneliness after retirement,” and said, “Relationships with family and neighbors are important, but there is a defensive attitude toward receiving help from others. This reduced accessibility to social relationships is the reason for the high suicide rate among elderly men.”

As a solution to alleviate social isolation among the elderly, he suggested the use of smart devices. Secretary General Lee said, “Smartphone use is increasing among the elderly now. For those living in rural fishing and farming villages, it is difficult to directly access medical and welfare services,” and added, “There is a method to recognize and intervene in crisis situations of the elderly in advance through smart Internet of Things (IoT) devices. For example, in Seoul, customized visiting services are provided at the local government level through the Health Companion Service.”

Secretary General Lee also pointed out that the threshold for accessing psychiatric care remains high socially. He emphasized, “Prejudice against mental illness is one of the barriers to improving access to medical services. The overall medical system needs to pay attention to elderly suicide and strengthen the system for referring high-risk cases for counseling,” and said, “Elderly people living alone experience depressive symptoms, nutritional management issues, and difficulties in daily life. Accessibility to medical institutions must be improved, and individual, qualitative, and integrated services must be enhanced.”

Finally, Secretary General Lee added, “We must not forget that there are people who value me more than I think,” and said, “You may unknowingly be helping others. Living together like this is important.”

※ If you have difficult-to-talk-about concerns such as depression, or if you have family or acquaintances experiencing such difficulties, you can receive 24-hour expert counseling through the suicide prevention hotline ☎109 or the suicide prevention SNS counseling “Madeullan.”