For Black individuals ages 65 and up, the suicide rate increased by 64% between 2010 and 2018. For elderly individuals, suicide can often be tied to the isolation and loneliness that might occur as one gets older. But for Black elders, the suicide rate is compounded by many barriers to access to care, including racial and age discrimination. Understanding these factors is the first step to identifying you or your loved one’s risk and finding the right kind of support. Risk factors influencing suicide in elders include: loss of self-sufficiency, chronic pain or illness and geriatric depression.