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‘Listen closer’: home-delivered meal volunteers’ understanding of their role in suicide intervention

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 April 2022

Jordan B. Westcott Open the ORCID record for Jordan B. Westcott [Opens in a new window] ,
Matthew C. Fullen ,
Connie C. Tomlin ,
Kelly Eikenberg ,
Paul M. Delaughter ,
M.C.B. Mize  and
Laura R. Shannonhouse
Jordan B. Westcott*
Affiliation:
School of Education, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
Matthew C. Fullen
Affiliation:
School of Education, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
Connie C. Tomlin
Affiliation:
School of Education, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
Kelly Eikenberg
Affiliation:
School of Education, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
Paul M. Delaughter
Affiliation:
School of Education, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
M.C.B. Mize
Affiliation:
Counselor Education and Practice, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Laura R. Shannonhouse
Affiliation:
Counselor Education and Practice, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
*
*Corresponding author. Email: jwestcott@vt.edu
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Abstract

Suicide in later life is a pressing public health concern, which has likely been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Many older adults who need mental health treatment do not have access to necessary services and training for mental health providers to support older adults experiencing suicidality is limited. One solution is developing interventions based in a public health approach to suicide prevention, whereby natural helpers who provide community services are mobilised to respond to older persons-at-risk. Home-delivered meal (HDM) services, for example, are one effective means to reach older adults who are isolated due to being homebound and may be instrumental in preventing suicide. This study examined the experiences of 20 HDM volunteers who received Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST), an evidence-based suicide intervention programme. Phenomenological analysis yielded findings centred on three areas demonstrating the impact of the ASIST training on HDM volunteers: putting asist skills into practice; response to ASIST skills; and role transformation. Implications for integrating suicide prevention efforts with HDM services and directions for future research are discussed.

Keywords

suicide preventionlate-life suicidehome-delivered meal servicespublic health
Type
Article
Information
Ageing & Society , Volume 44 , Issue 3 , March 2024 , pp. 642 - 660
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2022. Published by Cambridge University Press

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