Singapore  - Suicides among those 65 and older are on the rise in Singapore, increasing from 69 in 2006 to 87 last year, a suicide prevention group said Tuesday.

Samaritans of Singapore said the bulk of calls from those contemplating suicide were related to social issues.

Elderly callers said they thought of suicide because they could not bear the loneliness of living alone, said Christine Wong, the group's executive director.

They were also troubled by language barriers between them and social workers as well as poor health, she said.

Experts said the increased suicides among the elderly corresponded with the increasing number of elderly in the city-state.

Samaritans of Singapore is currently in talks with centres that deal with the elderly to find a way of reaching out to them.

The total number of suicides dropped from 419 in 2006 to 374 last year, the city-state's first decrease in four years. The drop was attributed to the strong economy. (dpa)