Understanding the dynamics of elderly suicides is of great importance for the development of effective prevention strategies. This study aims to identify the characteristics of elderly suicides and to assess the impact of the pandemic on these incidents. In this study, we retrospectively analysed the suicides of adults aged 65 years and over who died by suicide in Turkey between 01/01/2014 and 31/12/2023 using the data of the Turkish Statistical Institute. A total of 4066 elderly suicides were identified. 75% of elderly suicide deaths occurred in males. Suicide rates were significantly higher among individuals aged ≥ 75 compared with those aged 65–69 (RR = 1.40, 95% CI: 1.30–1.50) and 70–74 (RR = 1.36, 95% CI: 1.26–1.47). Elderly males had a 3.83-fold higher suicide rate than females (RR = 3.83, 95% CI: 3.56–4.11). Population-adjusted Poisson regression showed that suicide rates increased significantly during the pandemic period compared to the pre-pandemic period (IRR = 1.10, 95% CI: 1.02–1.18). This increase was significant among males (IRR = 1.11, 95% CI: 1.02–1.22) but not females (IRR = 1.02, 95% CI: 0.88–1.19). In the post-pandemic period, suicide rates declined marginally in both males (IRR = 0.91) and females (IRR = 0.84). Hanging was the most common method of suicide overall, whereas suicides involving firearms and those attributed to financial difficulties occurred predominantly among males. Elderly suicide rates in Turkey were consistently higher among males and individuals aged ≥ 75 years. Higher population-adjusted suicide rates were observed during the COVID-19 period, particularly among elderly males, followed by a decline in the post-pandemic period. These findings highlight the importance of age- and sex-specific suicide prevention strategies and strengthening mental health and social support services for elderly adults.