Suicide and later life : impact and evaluation of a verbatim theatre informed pedagogical intervention for care professionals education

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Hafford-Letchfield, Trish and Karastoyanova-Gibson, Konstantina and Rasmussen, Susan and Sledmere, Maria and Summerskill, Clare and Cleary, Connor (2025) Suicide and later life : impact and evaluation of a verbatim theatre informed pedagogical intervention for care professionals education. In: International Summit of Suicide Research, 2025-11-08 - 2025-11-11, Sheraton Hotel Conference Centre.

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Abstract

This presentation shares a pedagogical intervention using verbatim theatre to enhance suicide awareness among care professionals working with older adults. ​ We addressed the lack of education on suicide in later life, focusing on ageism as a contributing factor to suicide risk and aimed to disseminate research findings on suicide and ageing through innovative methods, specifically verbatim theatre, to engage health and social care professionals. ​Collaborating with a verbatim theatre director, scripts were created from anonymized interview transcripts of older individuals discussing suicide experiences. ​Three films were produced and shared in online workshops with 373 health and care professionals, accompanied by interactive learning activities. ​A formative evaluation assessed pre- and post-workshop learning and gathered qualitative feedback on the films' impact. ​ The project resulted in three educational films and supportive materials for professional training. ​Participants reported new insights, challenged stereotypes, and identified barriers to providing support. ​The films significantly enhanced empathy and knowledge regarding suicide in later life, leading to suggestions for low-level psycho-social interventions. ​This intervention highlights the need for improved training for care professionals to address suicide risk in older adults. ​ Verbatim theatre effectively promotes awareness and discussion of sensitive issues, facilitating better responses to individuals expressing suicidal thoughts. ​

ORCID iDs

Hafford-Letchfield, Trish ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0105-0678, Karastoyanova-Gibson, Konstantina ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5054-6632, Rasmussen, Susan ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6408-0028, Sledmere, Maria ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5492-1652, Summerskill, Clare and Cleary, Connor;
CORE (COnnecting REpositories)