Page 60 - IJPS-10-2

International Journal of
Population Studies Experience of bereavement by suicide in later life

their experience to benefit others and their own selves in in people’s experiences can encourage those who want
the process illustrating that transformative learning can be to be active in supporting others. Barlow & Coleman’s
as much a process of everyday occurrences as it is what (2003) evaluation of a peer support program developed
Dirkx (2000; 2006) termed a “burning bush” phenomenon. for survivors of suicide suggested that an intervention
This latter concept refers to the deeply emotional learning protocol that is collaboratively developed and delivered by
experiences that can evoke powerful feeling, such as fear, peer supporters and professionals can offer cost-effective
grief, loss, regret, and anger, but also joy, wonder, and awe person-centered support. These economic arguments are
and the sense that we cannot go back to the way we were also highly relevant in the context of debates about the
before the experience. This “messy work” (Kegan & Lahey, rising costs of supporting people in later life and how best
2009, p54) of the trials and tribulations that participants to invest in prevention.
were navigating both at micro and macrolevels helped While support to those bereaved by suicide is included
to progress more complex ways of adapting to such in suicide prevention strategies, they have been treated
a traumatic event as suicide bereavement in the life
course. In this regard, transformative learning theory is as a homogenous group without distinguishing between
most interested in the cognitive process of learning, the different age groups. The intensification of time pressure
mental constructions of experience, and the creation of in later life reflected by participants had both negative and
meaning. Similarly, Jarvis (2009) theory of the experience positive impacts on how the process of living beyond the
of disjuncture from which people learn can occur in the bereavement played out and heightened suicide thoughts
cognitive, emotive or action domains, and questioning and in some (Hafford-Letchfield et al., 2022). Some studies
analyzing experiences can spark the reaction to learn and (Pitman et al., 2017) have supported specific associations
to restore. between suicide bereavement and suicide-related
outcomes, justifying the inclusion of people bereaved by
Less was discovered about the factors which shaped suicide in national suicide prevention strategies. Most
these different processes in the context of what is known of this research has examined this in relation to younger
about transformation learning theory, practice, and people. Participants in our study demonstrated a greater
research to help understand the support needs of people awareness of their own end of life, associated with later life
bereaved by suicide in their later life and its messages and possibly with a reduced fear of death or wish to die
for suicide prevention. Further, research is necessary made more explicit in relation to their loss and potential
to generate practice-based evidence which identifies losses. There is little acknowledgment in suicide prevention
the impact of bereavement by suicide on people in later services that that older people who may experience a higher
life; how their needs for support are currently assessed prevalence of being alone, being a carer, and long-term
and identified; and how to respond more holistically to health conditions or comorbidities that may be unable to
people with psychosocial problems which stem from access current resources and networks or need something
these experiences (Hybholt et al., 2020a). Prevention of that draws on their peer experiences. It would be useful to
complicated grief may be successful in this population with capture in future research some of the nuances between the
high risk for comorbidities (Linde et al., 2017) by capturing different age groups (Koo et al., 2017).
and building on the knowledge and experience of people
with lived experiences. In a smaller study with nine older Illeris (2007) defines the concept of learning as “any
adult participants, Moon (2009) affirmed that perspective process that in living organisms leads to permanent
transformation can occur through late life bereavement capacity change and which is not solely due to biological
characterized by an oscillatory process shaped by maturation or aging” thus implying that learning is
biographical and life stage developmental contexts. Given something much broader and more complicated. Learning
what is known about the loss of autonomy and physical also integrates two very different processes, between the
conditions or worrying about their coming and impact learner’s internal psychological process of elaboration
as risk factors for suicide in later life, it is important that and acquisition with their social, cultural, or physical
those in contact with older people bereavement by suicide environment. Both are significant and useful to consider
investigate the possible presence of suicidal ideation (see when looking at how people interact with services in later
also Hafford-Letchfield et al., 2022). Medical practitioners life (Hafford-Letchfield, 2016). This interactive dimension
especially who are likely to be more in touch with isolated (Illeris, 2009) takes place as perception, transmission,
older people should conduct suicide risk assessment in experience, imitation, activity, participation, etc., and
addition to identification of physical illnesses (Chatterji serves the personal integration in communities and society
et al., 2015). Further, providing learning and development and thereby also builds up the sociality of the learner
opportunities through signposting and taking an interest (p11). Investment in these community networks through

Volume 10 Issue 2 (2024) 54 https://doi.org/10.36922/ijps.0777