Elderly Greekmen more at risk

PRONIA’s social educator Antonis Maglis (right) with senior citizens visiting the library. Photo: Supplied

“A conversation can change a life”. This is the main message that was shared across Australia on Thursday, through the suicide prevention organisation R U OK? which takes place annually on the second Thursday of September.

It serves as a reminder that we can all play our part in encouraging meaningful connections within our community and offer our support to someone struggling in life, simply by asking this question and striking a conversation.

This message is more important than ever for our elderly citizens. After two years of pandemic restrictions they have felt the brunt of isolation from their peers and their community, along with the newfound fear of contracting COVID-19, as indicated to Neos Kosmos by PRONIA’s social educator, Antonis Maglis and Greek Australian clinical psychologist Peter Kyriakoulis.

The recent findings of the Australian Bureau of Statistics reveal that ageing Australian men, particularly, are three times more likely to

commit suicide than any other cohort of the population.

This tragic statistic goes almost unnoticed due to the common perception that it is young men that have the highest risk of suicide, according to an article written in The Conversation, by Rhys Mantell (PhD Candidate, School of Population Health, UNSW Sydney) and Adrienne Withall (Senior Research Fellow, School of Population Health, UNSW Sydney).

“While this is true for the net number of suicides, if we don’t consider age-standardised rates (which account for differences in age distribution across the population) we miss a crucial finding” the article states. “Though men aged over 85 accounted for a relatively small proportion of all male suicides (3.1%) in 2020, the age-specific suicide rate was 36.2 deaths per 100,000, which is three times the average rate. For women aged over 85, this rate was much lower (6.2 per 100,000).”

As to why this is happening, the experts say that men over the age of 85 who commit suicide, usually face psychological and existential distress, which can reinforce feelings of loneliness and worthlessness. Older men at risk may feel that they are ‘no longer needed’ or see themselves as a ‘burden’ to the family and community.

These beliefs may coincide with major life transitions, such as retirement, not driving anymore, or moving into a nursing home, where they are usually in the minority.

The numbers in the Greek Community

Kathy Barbakos, Client & Community Services Coordinator at PRONIA, explained to Neos Kosmos that apart from two incidents during which elderly Greek Australians had threatened to end their lives – which were prevented due to immediate intervention – she does not know of any elderly Greeks who have actually committed suicide.

“This may be happening for two reasons. Perhaps because Greek families are more tight-knit, and there is a network within the community, and therefore some form of support despite the loneliness and depression an elderly person may be experiencing. But there is also the possibility that these incidents are not heard of at all because of the stigma and silence surrounding the issue of suicide,” Ms Barbakos said.

Clinical Psychologist Peter Kyriakoulis believes that the church and religious beliefs serve as a protective layer for elderly Greek Australians, preventing suicide as an option they could otherwise consider.

However he has noticed that anxiety and depression amongst senior Greek Australians, seems to have surged. Based in Oakleigh, Dr Kyriakoulis sees many clients from the Greek community, elderly citizens who are trying to adjust to life after withdrawing socially for so long due to the pandemic restrictions, and he says the fear of the disease is still very much present.

The issues faced by senior citizens of Greek descent, loneliness, isolation, the fact that many do not know the English language well, are issues that concern the social workers and caseworkers of PRONIA, who, through the programmes they run, come into frequent contact with them.

Social educator at PRONIA, Antonis Maglis, knows first-hand the difficulties and isolation the elderly often experience -especially since the pandemic broke out- speaking to them regularly during the weekly telephone peer-support groups he coordinates.

These telephone group “meetings” held once a week were initiated by PRONIA to encourage peer-support, general wellbeing to participants who are of the same generation, with similar experiences and who face roughly the same challenges.

“In 2020, when everything shut down, and we could no longer gather at the community centre, the Library, or at PRONIA, we decided to continue the peer-support groups by phone”, Mr Maglis explained.

Despite the challenges brought on by the pandemic, they were still able to reach the most vulnerable citizens this way, and the phone groups were established and continue to this day.

“We understood that whether we were in lockdown or not, there would always be people who cannot participate physically in these peer support meetings.”

Another important factor that was revealed through these telephone conversations was that people opened up more about their problems, he said. “Because of anonymity and total confidentiality -participants were on first name basis or if they preferred, they could use a fake name- so they talked more freely about whatever was on their minds.”

“Every time you tell your story, you confide your problems, you release them,” Mr Maglis explained. “Your share your problem and you realise that others face very similar situations.”

He said that he noticed the change in their mood after only a few phone conversations.

“Several participants became friends and continued to stay in touch even when the programme was over. From these sessions, PRONIA’s social workers also got to understand more deeply the issues vulnerable elderly citizens are facing, and take the opportunity to assess their needs and design new support programmes.”

The challenges older men face

Mr. Maglis agreed that there are more women participating in these programs than men. Men are more vulnerable and that is why he encourages them to take part.

From the time they retire, a man will lose a huge part of his daily routine. And this change affects men more, as they perceive their identity through work, through their career.

“After a while, the children leave home as well. And other major changes follow, losses and bereavement, from the deaths of friends, of a partner, to health problems which start to surface due to the ageing process.

“All this affects people psychologically, socially and emotionally as they feel their lives shrinking,” Mr Maglis said.

With the pandemic came a newfound fear, which further isolated the older generation.

Mr Maglis stressed that elderly people should be encouraged to fill in the emptiness, to find new interests in their lives, which is up to them to create. They can start with something small.

“Many times I ask them, ‘what do you do that you enjoy?”

If it’s walking, he suggested they change something small in their route. “Go down an alley you’ve never been down before. You’ll see something different. It’s the little things that will help break the routine.”

It is never too early or too late to learn something new

Lockdowns and restrictions may be a thing of the past, but Mr Maglis believes that the isolation for this vulnerable age group is even more pronounced today.

“The rest of the world has somehow moved on, adapted to the new situation, whereas older people have been left very much behind, especially if they don’t speak English and don’t have support, and are left on their own,” Mr Maglis said.

PRONIA encourages elderly Greek Australians to attend the digital courses it provides, so they can learn how to use computers and smart devices in order to stay connected with family and friends, be informed about available services they may need and remain for as long as possible, independent.

An 87-year-old gentleman told Mr Maglis that he was born too early to be able to absorb the dramatic changes in the way we communicate in recent years.

“It is never too early or too late to learn something new,” said Mr Maglis, who also runs the computer classes for seniors.

“Age is of no significance when it comes to learning something new. Every day I learn something new. I learn from my daughter who is 26 years old and from my mother who is 76 years old. Older people also have so much to teach us.”

He is thrilled when he witnesses the enthusiasm of his mature students when they gain access for the first time to the internet, and their happiness when they realise they can find and read books digitally from libraries across Melbourne.

To age positively, Dr Kyriakoulis encourages his elderly clients to stay connected and get involved in the community, in group activities, to travel and spend time with grandchildren, engage in hobbies, such as gardening and walking especially. On a positive note he has noticed that more and more elderly Greek men are coming to him for support. “Either because their GP suggested it, or their children have urged them to come,” he said.

New research challenges the assumption that men do not want to ask for help or find it difficult to express the problems they are experiencing.

As the article in The Conversation suggests, the main reason older men do not talk about their difficulties is because there is usually nowhere for them to open up in a way that they find culturally and socially acceptable. Because of their lack of trust in traditional services and their aversion to ‘official’ supports that view emotional distress and suicidal thoughts, as a mental illness.

“The children need to check in with their parents, to encourage them to be independent and active”, Dr Kyriakoulis explained, especially when a senior citizen loses their partner, as a huge void is left behind.

In every case, he believes that Greek traditions and customs, give the elderly an outlet, something to look forward to, and the rituals are something they can share with their children and other family members and friends.

For more information about the programmes PRONIA runs for the elderly, call 039388 9998 or visit www.pronia.com.au

S:neoskosmos.com