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Background: The loss of a loved one to suicide can be a devastating experience that can have negative long-term effects on the social life and physical and mental health of the bereaved person. Worldwide, an estimated 237 million older adults have experienced suicide bereavement. As assumed in critical psychology, “the conduct of everyday life” reflects the social self-understanding by which people actively organize their lives based on their personal concerns, negotiation with co-participants in various action contexts, and their life interests. Bereaved people may change their social self-understanding as they adjust to their new roles and relationships in everyday life. The aim of this study was to investigate how older adults bereaved by suicide conducted their everyday life during the first 5 years after the loss of a loved one. Methods: This was a semi-structured qualitative interview study carried out by a research team consisting of co-researchers (older adults aged ≥60 years and bereaved by suicide), health care professionals, and researchers. The team conducted 15 semi-structured interviews with 20 older adults bereaved by suicide. The interviews were audio-recorded and verbatim transcribed. The participants’ mean age was 67.6 (range 61–79) years at the time of the loss. Data were thematically analyzed through a “conduct of everyday life” theoretical perspective. Results: We constructed a central theme “the broken notion of late-life living” in that late-life would no longer be as the participants had imagined. They struggled with their understanding of themselves and other people in social communities when they pursued their concerns adjusting to their broken notions of late-life living. We construed three primary concerns: 1) seeking meaning in the suicide, 2) keeping the memory of the deceased alive, and 3) regaining life despite the loss. Conclusion: The participants’ bereavement process was influenced by their stage in life. They perceived themselves as having reduced possibilities to restore their life project and limited time to re-orient their life. Other age-related factors influenced their possibilities to pursue their concerns in order to adjust to their new life conditions.

Suicide is a major public health problem and there is a paucity of knowledge about the particular needs of people bereaved by suicide late in life. This study protocol describes a co-operative inquiry designed to collaboratively explore the needs for psychosocial support for this group and to use ‘action circles’ to develop and test psychosocial interventions. Further, it explores how the co-operative partnership influences the overall research processes. Data will be subjected to thematic analysis and discourse analysis. The protocol was approved in December 2016 and the study will take place between April 2017 and March 2020.

Ældre mennesker får ikke tilstrækkelig hjælp, når de mister en nærtstående ved selvmord. Der er behov for at udvikle praksisnære sundhedsfremmende interventioner, der øger de psykosociale handlemuligheder for f.eks. sygeplejersker, præster, politibetjente, pårørende og de ældre selv.Projektet er et aktionsforskningsprojekt, hvor brugere, professionelle og forskere arbejder sammen om at designe og gennemføre projektet. Projektet består af tre delstudier. Første delstudie er en kvalitativ interviewundersøgelse. Formålet er at skabe viden om ældre efterladtes behov for støtte. Andet delstudie er en udvikling, afprøvning og evaluering af udvalgte interventioner. Tredje delstudie er en undersøgelse af samarbejdsprocesserne i handlingsorienteret aktionsforskning. Resultatet er viden om hvordan brugere inddrages i forskningsprojekter og retningslinjer om, hvordan ældre mennesker, der efterlades efter selvmord, bedst hjælpes. Professionelle kan udbrede og anvende denne viden i deres praksis.