•Men were more likely to report suicidal thoughts and feeling lonely and depressed.•Women reported less cognitive function, social support, and lower QoL scores.•Men reported needing more help in ...preparing food and connecting to older adult education programs.•Women needed more help with home repairs and health and movement support.•Mental and physical health were associated with QoL for older adults living alone.
The aim of this study was to identify gender differences in the health status, community service needs, and quality of life of older adults living alone in an urban city in South Korea.
A cross-sectional descriptive correlational design was used. The study sampled 1023 older adults (≥65 years) living alone in S* City, during the period from August to October in 2018. Trained interviewers conducted face-to-face interviews with the participants, using the UCLA Loneliness Scale, Short Form Geriatric Depression Scale – Korean version, ENRICHD Social Support Instrument (ESSI), the Mini-Mental State Examination Standard Version (MMSE-2SV), and Health-Related Quality of Life (EQ-5D).
77.8% were women and the mean age was 77.38 years (men = 74.65, women = 78.16). Women had lower socioeconomic and health status than men. Men felt more lonely, depressed, and had suicidal thoughts more frequently than women. Women had more needs regarding care, residential environment, movement, connection, and emergency services than men. In men, depressive symptoms, suicidal thoughts, loneliness, and right-hand grip strength were identified using the EQ-5D. The EQ-5D was also used to explain depressive symptoms, suicidal thoughts, cognitive function, and physical activity in women.
Health status and community service needs were dependent on gender; therefore interventions should be tailored according to gender. Our research found that to decrease depression and suicidal thoughts, improve physical health, and enhance quality of life for older adults living alone, interventions need to be designed to decrease male loneliness and to enhance female cognitive function.
Full text
Available for:
GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Media portrayals of a loneliness "epidemic" are premised on an increase in the proportion of people living alone and decreases in rates of civic engagement and religious affiliation over recent ...decades. However, loneliness is a subjective perception that does not correspond perfectly with objective social circumstances. In this study, we examined whether perceived loneliness is greater among the Baby Boomers-individuals born 1948-1965-relative to those born 1920-1947 and whether older adults have become lonelier over the past decade (2005-2016). We used data from the National Social Life, Health and Aging Project and from the Health and Retirement Study collected during 2005-2016 to estimate differences in loneliness associated with age, birth year, and survey time point. Overall, loneliness decreased with age through the early 70s, after which it increased. We found no evidence that loneliness is substantially higher among the Baby Boomers or that it has increased over the past decade. Loneliness is, however, associated with poor health, living alone or without a spouse-partner, and having fewer close family and friends, which together accounted for the overall increase in loneliness after age 75. Although these data do not support the idea that older adults are becoming lonelier, the actual number of lonely individuals may increase as the Baby Boomers age into their 80s and beyond. Our results suggest that attention to social factors and improving health may help to mitigate this.
Full text
Available for:
CEKLJ, FFLJ, NUK, ODKLJ, PEFLJ, UPUK
In Europe, the population of older people is increasing rapidly. Many older people prefer to remain in their homes but living alone could be a risk for their safety. In this context, robotics and ...other emerging technologies are increasingly proposed as potential solutions to this societal concern. However, one-third of all assistive technologies are abandoned within one year of use because the end users do not accept them.
The aim of this study is to investigate the acceptance of the Robot-Era system, which provides robotic services to permit older people to remain in their homes.
Six robotic services were tested by 35 older users. The experiments were conducted in three different environments: private home, condominium, and outdoor sites. The appearance questionnaire was developed to collect the users' first impressions about the Robot-Era system, whereas the acceptance was evaluated through a questionnaire developed ad hoc for Robot-Era.
A total of 45 older users were recruited. The people were grouped in two samples of 35 participants, according to their availability. Participants had a positive impression of Robot-Era robots, as reflected by the mean score of 73.04 (SD 11.80) for DORO's (domestic robot) appearance, 76.85 (SD 12.01) for CORO (condominium robot), and 75.93 (SD 11.67) for ORO (outdoor robot). Men gave ORO's appearance an overall score higher than women (P=.02). Moreover, participants younger than 75 years understood more readily the functionalities of Robot-Era robots compared to older people (P=.007 for DORO, P=.001 for CORO, and P=.046 for ORO). For the ad hoc questionnaire, the mean overall score was higher than 80 out of 100 points for all Robot-Era services. Older persons with a high educational level gave Robot-Era services a higher score than those with a low level of education (shopping: P=.04; garbage: P=.047; reminding: P=.04; indoor walking support: P=.006; outdoor walking support: P=.03). A higher score was given by male older adults for shopping (P=.02), indoor walking support (P=.02), and outdoor walking support (P=.03).
Based on the feedback given by the end users, the Robot-Era system has the potential to be developed as a socially acceptable and believable provider of robotic services to facilitate older people to live independently in their homes.
Full text
Available for:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Context The COVID-19 pandemic may have particularly impacted older adults living alone who are at increased risk of social isolation and its negative consequences. This risk may have been further ...exacerbated due to public health measures and disruption of services and social support. Objective This study aimed to understand the experiences and social connectedness of older persons living alone during the COVID-19 pandemic in Quebec. Study design A qualitative study with 14 semi-structured interviews was conducted by telephone. The first part of the interview guide focused on social isolation and perceptions of loneliness, while the second part focused on of their perceived impact of the pandemic on their health and social network during the third to the fourth wave of the pandemic. Two independent analysts used DedooseR software to conduct an inductive thematic analysis based on the transcribed interviews. Population studied Persons aged 65 and over living alone. Setting An urban (Montreal) and semi-rural (Chaudiere-Appalaches) region of Quebec, Canada. Results We suggest two preliminary themes from our analysis: (1) autonomy and adaptability in the face of the pandemic, (2) the importance of social connections and services in close proximity. Despite challenges posed by the pandemic participants consistently reported a strong desire to limit burden to their family and pride in maintaining their autonomy. While some participants reported a deterioration in their physical and mental health due to the confinement measures, most reported little impact on their sense of loneliness. The fact that they had already been living alone for several years helped them to readily adapt. Day-to-day interactions with their immediate environment (neighbors, pharmacist, etc.) and helping others (accompanying friends, organizing social activities, etc.) within this network were consistently found to be important coping mechanisms. Conclusions Neighborhood contacts and services in close proximity were found to be important elements in promoting the well-being of older persons living alone. Health professionals should consider the importance of social interactions in close proximity when caring for older persons living alone.
Full text
Available for:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
This article engages Göran Therborn’s conceptualisation of existential inequality to explore lived experiences of loneliness in later life. Existential inequality refers to unequal social ...distribution of personhood, from dignity to autonomy. We argue sociological approaches, like inequality frameworks, are critical to grasp the social nature of loneliness – often missing in related literature. Investigating how people perceive and respond to their loneliness provides a comprehensive understanding of the links between personal/agentic and social/structural dimensions. We apply the idea of existential inequality to two case studies with older people (aged 65+) reporting prolonged loneliness: one encompassing ethnographic data and interviews with care home residents, and a second focusing on diaries produced by older people living alone. Employing existential inequality to frame how older people define, experience and manage loneliness highlights an assemblage of stigmas and marginalisation.
Full text
Available for:
NUK, OILJ, SAZU, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Background
Living alone is one of the most common psychosocial factors that may have an impact on lifestyle management and health status. Although many previous cross-sectional studies have found ...that living alone increases the risk of depression. However, this risk has rarely been assessed on the basis of longitudinal studies. Therefore, we will explore this relationship on the basis of longitudinal studies.
Methods
We systematically searched Pubmed, Embase, and Cochrane databases up to May 2022. Adjusted odds ratios (ORs), and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were pooled by a random-effects model using an inverse variance method.
Results
Seven studies (six cohort studies and one case-control study) were included in our study. A total of 123,859 without a history of psychosis individuals were included, and the proportion of females was 65.3%. We applied a random-effects model to minimize the heterogeneity. Overall, the pooled data suggest that people living alone are associated with an increased risk of depression compared to those who do not live alone (OR 1.42, 95%CI 1.19–1.70).
Conclusion
Compared to people who live with others, living alone increases the risk of depression. Only cross-sectional studies and a few longitudinal studies currently support this association; more high-quality studies will be required in the future to confirm this causal association.
Reports an error in "Alone in the shadow of terror: Coping strategies and internal resources of older adults living alone in a continuous traumatic situation" by Shirly Hadida-Naus, Gabriela ...Spector-Mersel and Sharon Shiovitz-Ezra (
, 2023, Vol 933, 188-197). In the article (https://doi.org/10.1037/ort0000667), the title was corrected to "Alone in the Shadow of Terror: Coping Strategies and Internal Resources of Older Adults Living Alone in a Continuous Traumatic Situation" because the word "coping" was omitted during the composition of the article. The online version of this article has been corrected. (The following abstract of the original article appeared in record 2023-61652-001.) Continuous traumatic situations (CTS) caused by prolonged exposure to terrorist threat can harm individuals' mental and physical health. For older adults living alone in CTS, this risk joins the challenges of aging and loneliness, creating a triple vulnerability. No previous research has explored this particular vulnerability and specifically addressed the coping strategies and internal resources used by older adults to manage these stressful circumstances. The present study aimed to fill this lacuna, by exploring how older adults living alone in CTS cope with these challenges and the internal resources that help them do so. In-depth interviews with 15 persons aged 65 + years living alone in Sderot, an Israeli city exposed to a continuous terror threat, were conducted and analyzed thematically. Participants described various coping strategies. Some are deployed at the psychological level: positive thinking, deliberate disengagement, perception of being alone as an advantage, and social comparison; others have behavioral implications: acknowledging reality and dealing with it and "turning it into an engine." Participants also identified four internal resources that helped them cope: functional independence, faith, character traits, and previous experience with stressful life events. Participants coped with the difficulties of living alone in CTS actively and creatively, relying on various psychological and functional resources. The findings support theories that emphasize older adults' resilience and ability to cope with stress and trauma, suggesting ways to strengthen the resilience of older adults facing CTS, particularly those living alone. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).
Full text
Available for:
CEKLJ, FFLJ, NUK, ODKLJ, PEFLJ, UPUK
Population aging is a global trend, and the number of older adults living alone is increasing. Tai chi, a traditional Chinese exercise, has been shown to improve the physical and mental health of ...older adults.
To investigate the effects of tai chi on death anxiety in older adults living alone and the role of social support and psychological capital in this relationship.
A cross-sectional study of 493 older adults living alone in four cities in southwestern China. Participants were assessed using questionnaires on tai chi practice, social support, psychological capital, and death anxiety.
Tai chi practice significantly reduced death anxiety in older adults living alone. It also positively correlated with social support and psychological capital, both of which negatively correlated with death anxiety. Social support and psychological capital mediated the relationship between tai chi practice and death anxiety, suggesting that tai chi may reduce death anxiety through these factors. These findings encourage older adults living alone to practice tai chi, as it may improve their mental and physical health and reduce their risk of death anxiety.
Tai chi practice may reduce death anxiety in older adults living alone through the chain-mediated effects of social support and psychological capital. This suggests that tai chi may be a beneficial intervention for older adults living alone.
This article compares the determinants of living alone among older people during later life in a wide variety of countries from across the globe, including very different family systems, policy ...contexts, levels of development, and socioeconomic characteristics. The analysis makes use of two large datasets, one with country-level variables for 61 countries and the other with microcensus data for 32 countries. Logistic regression is used to estimate the weight of different factors behind the residential choices of the elderly. Basic theoretical expectations about the determinants of living alone are validated. These affect both the supply of potential caregivers (fertility, mortality) and the willingness of individuals to live alone. Overall levels of development play a key role in determining the likelihood of living alone. Another important part of the observed differences is explained by societal characteristics such as family systems and available policy options.
Full text
Available for:
BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, INZLJ, KILJ, NLZOH, NMLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK, ZRSKP
Abstract
Background
Frailty predisposes older people to adverse outcomes following hospitalisation. Physiotherapy can reduce the risk of adverse frailty-related outcomes including functional decline. ...Research examining frailty and physiotherapy referral in Acute Medical Units is limited. The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of frailty in older adults admitted to an Acute Medical Admissions Unit (AMAU), and to explore factors associated with early physiotherapy referral in the frail group.
Methods
A prospective cohort study was conducted in the AMAU of a large acute hospital in Ireland. Participants were those over 65 years who were admitted to the AMAU. All participants underwent frailty screening on admission using both the Clinical Frailty Scale and Program of Research to Integrate Services for the Maintenance of Autonomy-7 questionnaire. They were defined as frail if positive on at least one of the tools. Referral to physiotherapy and time to referral during hospitalisation was recorded. Multivariable logistic regression was used to explore factors associated with early physiotherapy referral (within 24 hours) for frail participants.
Results
210 participants (mean age = 78.3 years, 51.9% female) were included. Frailty prevalence was 71% (n = 149) (95% CI = 64.3–77.0%). Within the frail group, 61.1% (n = 91) experienced early referral to physiotherapy, 15.4% (n = 23) were referred after >24 hours and 23.5% (n = 35) were not referred during hospitalisation. Falls history (Odds Ratio OR: 4.08; 95% Confidence Interval CI: 1.82–1.94), older age (OR: 1.05; 95%CI: 1.00–1.10) and mobilising with an aid or assistance (OR: 2.42; 95% CI: 1.11–5.27) were associated with early physiotherapy referral in the frail group. Sex and living alone were not.
Conclusion
Frailty screening in AMAU may increase identification of older people at risk of experiencing adverse outcomes. Routine referral to physiotherapy for people who are deemed frail would ensure more equal access to physiotherapy assessment and treatment which could reduce the risk of adverse outcomes including falls, functional decline, and frailty progression.
PDF
