Lonelier than ever? Loneliness of older people over two decades (original) (raw)
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Loneliness Among Older People: Results from the Swedish National Study on Aging and Care – Blekinge
The Open Geriatric Medicine Journal
Objectives: To investigate the prevalence and predictors of loneliness in older people (aged 78+) over a sixyear period. Method: The sample (n=828) was drawn from the Swedish National Study on Aging and Care and the respondents were followed up at three and six years. Data were collected by means of structural interviews with supplementary questionnaires. Results: Half of the respondents reported that they felt lonely sometimes or more often. Women, widows/-ers living alone were more prone to report loneliness. Both independent associated factors and predictors were identified showing that loneliness is associated with and predicted by both physical and psychosocial outcomes. Discussion: Loneliness is common among older people and seems to be a steady state affected mainly by psychological and psychosocial factors such as personality, satisfaction with life, risk of depression, lack of friends and loss of spouse. Psychosocial interventions targeting emotional loneliness and social i...
To live with feelings of loneliness has negative implications for quality of life, health and survival. This study aimed to examine changes in loneliness among older people, both with regard to prevalence rates, and socio-demographic, social and health-related correlates of loneliness. This study had a repeated cross-sectional design and was based on the nationally representative Swedish Panel Study of Living Conditions of the Oldest Old (SWEOLD). Analyses of trends in loneliness covered the years 1992, 2002, 2004, 2011 and 2014, and included people aged 77 years or older (n = 2 572). Analyses of correlates of loneliness covered 2004 and 2014, and included people aged 70 years or older (n = 1 962). Logistic regression analyses were conducted with findings presented as average marginal effects. Contrary to what is often assumed, there has been no increase in loneliness among older people over time (1992–2014). Regression analyses for 2004 and 2014 showed that social and health-related correlates were more strongly associated with loneliness than socio-demographic correlates. Psychological distress was most strongly associated with loneliness, followed by widowhood. Most associations between the correlates and loneliness were stable over time.
Loneliness among elderly people living in Stockholm: a population study
Journal of Advanced Nursing, 1992
Advanced Nursmg 17, 43-51 Loneliness among elderly people living in Stockholm: a population study The purpose was to mvestigate expenenced lonelmess among the elderly The matenal included 1725 people, aged 75 and over The study descnbes relationships between lonelmess, soaal network, cognitive function and health Thirty-five per cent expenenced lonehness, and a higher percentage was found among women A gradual mcrease m lonelmess was found up to the age of 90, after which a levellmg was foimd Elderly persons living together with a partner expenenced less loneliness There were no significant difiFerences between those with and without children Ten per cent reported not havmg any fnends and, of these, one out of two expenenced lonehness A high frequency of expenenced lonelmess was found among elderly people with reduced cogruhve ftinction Subjechvely expenenced bad health and lonehness were strongly related to each other, I e a person who expenenced lonelmess did usually not feel completely healthy
SSM - Population Health
To explore associations between perceived loneliness, social isolation, and health complaints among older people. Methods: 5804 participants from the Swedish population study "Good Aging in Skåne" were included. Structured interviews and questionnaires were used to assess perceived loneliness, social isolation, 30 somatic and mentalhealth related symptoms, socio-demographics, lifestyle, and health. The mentioned symptoms were divided into seven symptom domains: depressive, tension, gastrointestinal-and urinary, musculoskeletal, metabolic, cardiopulmonary, and head-related symptoms. Multiple linear regression was performed to assess associations between reported symptoms and degree of perceived loneliness and social isolation. Multiple logistic regression models were constructed to investigate associations between the prevalence of symptoms in the symptom domains and perceived loneliness and social isolation. Results: 60% of the participants reported feeling lonely at least occasionally. Social isolation was noted by 6%. Higher levels of perceived loneliness were associated to an increased number of reported symptoms. Lonely participants had a higher prevalence of symptoms in all investigated symptom domains, ranging from 67% (gastrointestinal-urinary) to 96% (depressive) for the group experiencing constant loneliness. Conclusions: Perceived loneliness is a common condition among older people in modern day Sweden and potentially harmful for their subjective well-being and health.
Journal of Public Health, 2018
Purpose Previous research has suggested that individuals are mostly prone to loneliness in their later years of life due to being exposed to several risk factors typical of old age. The current study aims to examine possible demographic, health and social determinants of loneliness among older adults in Europe. Methods Data on a nationally representative sample of 5,074 Europeans aged ≥65 years were drawn from the first wave of the Survey of Health, Aging and Retirement in Europe (SHARE, 2004/2005). Frequency of feelings of loneliness was examined according to adverse health conditions, stressful life events and social isolation indicators. Results Female gender, older age, lower socioeconomic status, living unpartnered, being childless and having no activity involvement were significantly associated with frequent feelings of loneliness (p<0.001). The proportion of the respondents who declared to endure loneliness most of the time, compared to none of the time, was significantly higher among Southern Europeans, relative to their Northern counterparts (p<0.001). Recent departure of offspring from the parental nest was a significant predictor of loneliness in both the second (ORs=2.08; 95% CI 1.24-3.48) and the third (ORs=1.75; 95% CI 1.03-2.96) multiple regression models. Conclusion In this sample of older Europeans, several demographic characteristics, specific adverse health conditions, stressful life events and social isolation indicators were associated with feelings of loneliness. Policy initiatives for the alleviation of loneliness in older age should therefore aim at improving psychosocial and health-related difficulties faced by this population.
Onset of loneliness in older adults: results of a 28 year prospective study
The goal of this research is to test whether often observed correlates of loneliness in older age are related to onset of loneliness longitudinally. Despite the increasing number of longitudinal studies, the investigation of factors that are related to onset of loneliness is still limited. Analyses are based on data of the TamELSA study, which is a population-based prospective study in Tampere, Finland and started in 1979. For the present study 469 older adults aged between 60 and 86 years at baseline, who were not lonely at baseline, were selected and followed-up in 1989, 1999 and 2006. During the 28 years of follow-up approximately one third (N = 178) of the study population developed feelings of loneliness. Logistic regression analyses indicated that losing a partner, reduced social activities, increased physical disabilities, increased feelings of low mood, uselessness and nervousness, rather than baseline characteristics, are related to enhanced feelings of loneliness at follow-up. The higher incidence of loneliness among women can be fully explained by the unequal distribution of risk factors among men and women (e.g., women more often become widowed). Our results are in line with the cognitive approach that conceptualizes loneliness as an unpleasant feeling due to a perceived discrepancy between the desired and the achieved level of social and personal resources.
Long-term predictors of loneliness in old age: results of a 20-year national study
Aging & mental health, 2016
The understanding of social phenomena is enhanced if individuals can be studied over longer periods. Regarding loneliness in old age, there is a general lack of longitudinal research. The aim of this study was to examine whether there is an association between loneliness in old age and social engagement 20 years earlier, as stated by life course theory and the convoy model. Data from the nationally representative Swedish Panel Study of Living Conditions of the Oldest Old (2002 and 2011 data collection waves) and the Swedish Level of Living Survey (1981 and 1991 data collection waves) were used. The sample included 823 individuals with an average age of 62.2 years at baseline and 82.4 years at follow-up. Each form of social engagement in old age was significantly associated with the same form of social engagement 20 years earlier. Close forms of social engagement were associated with loneliness in old age; as were more distant forms of social engagement, but only when they were consi...
2018
Objectives: The understanding of social phenomena is enhanced if individuals can be studied over longer periods. Regarding loneliness in old age, there is a general lack of longitudinal research. The aim of this study was to examine whether there is an association between loneliness in old age and social engagement 20 years earlier, as stated by life course theory and the convoy model. Method: Data from the nationally representative Swedish Panel Study of Living Conditions of the Oldest Old (2002 and 2011 data collection waves) and the Swedish Level of Living Survey (1981 and 1991 data collection waves) were used. The sample included 823 individuals with an average age of 62.2 years at baseline and 82.4 years at follow-up. Results: Each form of social engagement in old age was significantly associated with the same form of social engagement 20 years earlier. Close forms of social engagement were associated with loneliness in old age; as were more distant forms of social engagement, but only when they were considered solely in old age. Conclusion: Patterns of social engagement in old age were established at least 20 years earlier and close forms of social engagement are long-term predictors of loneliness, although current social engagement tended to be more influential on loneliness. The study underlines the importance of interventions targeted at close relationships that can provide social support in old age.
A social exclusion perspective on loneliness in older adults in the Nordic countries
European Journal of Ageing, 2022
Several factors associated with loneliness are also considered indicators of social exclusion. While loneliness has been proposed as an outcome of social exclusion, there is limited empirical evidence of a link. This study examines the associations between social exclusion indicators and loneliness in older adults (60+ years) in four Nordic countries. Data from four waves of the European Social Survey were pooled, providing a total of 7755 respondents (Denmark n = 1647; Finland n = 2501, Norway n = 1540; Sweden n = 2067). Measures of loneliness, demographic characteristics, health, and eight indicators of social exclusion were selected from the survey for analysis. Country-specific and total sample hierarchical logistic regression models of loneliness were developed. Significant model improvement occurred for all models after social exclusion indicators were added to models containing only demographic and health variables. Country models explained between 15.1 (Finland) and 21.5% (S...
International Journal of Older People Nursing, 2017
Aim and objectivesTo investigate the prevalence of individuals who often feel lonely among a sample of Norwegian older home‐dwelling people aged ≥65 years old, as well as to identify any possible factors explaining their loneliness.BackgroundLoneliness is known to be common among older people. To identify those older adults who are lonely, and to acquire knowledge about the complexity of their loneliness, is important to provide them with adequate help and support.DesignThis study employed a cross‐sectional design.MethodA questionnaire was mailed to a randomised sample of 6,033 older home‐dwelling persons aged ≥65 years. A total of 2,052 persons returned the questionnaire and were included in the study. The questionnaire consisted of questions asking whether the subjects often felt lonely or not, as well as health‐related and background questions and instruments to measure the participants’ sense of coherence, mental problems, nutritional screening and self‐care ability. The data we...