‘We all have a stake in this’: a phenomenological inquiry into integrating suicide intervention in home-delivered meal service contexts

Abstract

Objectives

Late-life suicide is a public health concern, yet many older adults do not have access to traditional mental health services. The present study sought to explore how suicide intervention is integrated into home-delivered meal (HDM) contexts following volunteer training in an evidence-based suicide first responder program.

Methods

Using phenomenological inquiry, we examined the experiences of 20 HDM volunteers trained in ASIST.

Results

Three primary themes emerged: (a) Logistics influencing integration of Suicide Intervention into HDM Systems, describing HDM program logistics; (b) Intrapersonal Context, describing HDM volunteer characteristics influencing intervention utilization and HDM client concerns; and (c) Interpersonal Context, describing HDM relationship characteristics that influenced intervention utilization.

Conclusion

HDM and other nutrition services have potential for addressing late life suicide, particularly when volunteers best equipped to address risk receive training and HDM policies reflect the needs of their clients. Implications for HDM services, as well as the Aging Services Network, are discussed.

Keywords:

• Late life suicide
• suicide prevention
• nutrition services
• home-delivered meals

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), via the Administration for Community Living [Grant No. #901NNU0010-01-00]. The authors report there are no competing interests to declare.