Hempstead Town and Long Island Crisis Center Team Up to Create Senior Suicide Hotline

Following the apparent suicide of an elderly veteran in Bellmore, Town of Hempstead Supervisor Anthony Santino announced that the town is putting forward $20,000 to create the Senior Suicide Hotline.

Working in tandem with the Long Island Crisis Center, the 24/7 helpline will assist mature residents who are in crisis. In addition to telephone counseling and referral services, LICC will be conducting a series of 16 seminars dealing with grief, loneliness and depression during the holiday season. Experts say that the holidays can be a particularly difficult time for senior citizens who are battling depression.

“We have just witnessed a tragic apparent suicide in this community,” said Santino. “The town and the Long Island Crisis Center are working together to prevent senior suicide, combat depression and help people who are in crisis.”

The Senior Connection Helpline is a 24/7 service that will give seniors in crisis the critical help they deserve. The helpline is staffed with highly trained professionals and exceptional volunteers, and thanks to a grant from the Town of Hempstead’s Planning and Economic Development Department, the service is available completely free of charge. Additionally, the LICC will be visiting each of the 16 senior centers within the Town of Hempstead to spread the word of the helpline and their other services.

The Senior Connection Helpline is available at (516) 679-0000.

The LICC has more than 45 years of suicide prevention experience which will be available through the Senior Connection Helpline. Their staff members utilize the “Active Listening Skills” method to speak with troubled callers. The LICC responds to more than 11,000 calls annually on telephone hotlines, online chat sessions and walk-in counseling.

“All of us at the Crisis Center are thrilled to be partnering with the Town of Hempstead in providing a Senior Connection Helpline. As Nassau County’s only 24/7 crisis intervention and suicide prevention hotline, we will be providing short-term counseling, support and resources to very important people in all our lives – our senior citizens,” said Linda Leonard, LICC executive director. “With families now spread out across the country, it will be reassuring for them to know that older family members will now have a direct line for assistance with such issues as isolation, grief, depression, resources for help, etc. Our counselors will let our callers know that they are not alone and that it’s okay to talk about their feelings and problems.”