Loneliness Among The Elderly

Those older folks become insecure and even have problems with their spouses and younger family members. This eventually becomes an issue of coping, which drives loneliness. Many of the population in nursing homes tend to be senior citizens. They are stuck in homes because their families have already given up on them. Research shows that most suicides are committed by senior citizens. In 2010, the highest suicide rate occurred in the age range of 45-64 years old. The next highest rate occurred with those over age 85. They are driven mostly because the younger members of their families do not give them enough attention. “Research over the past several decades has repeatedly shown that a lack of social ties increases risk for poor health” (Aging and Loneliness). Therefore, those people labeled as lonely are likely to have health issues.

According to the American Psychological Association, one in four adults ages 65 and older experiences a mental health problem such as depression, anxiety, schizophrenia or dementia. This is quite alarming because it is known that people with mental illness already receive poor care. Poor care combined with living in a society where aging is shamed causes a major concern.Negative stereotypes and attitudes are directed toward the elderly. For

Many of the elderly find themselves living in isolation. There are many reasons why the elderly will find themselves living alone and in isolation. Many times caregivers have difficulty intervening. Social isolation can have many effects on the health status of the elderly. When alone the mental, physical and even the nutritional status of the older person can be affected. Trying to get the person to accept that they are being isolated can be difficult. There are a few resources that can have a positive impact on the elderly. This paper discusses issues of isolation and the elderly.

Relatively new to this research are the correlations found between living environments and improved health and well-being for the people who live there. Employment and business opportunities also arise to support and maintain services for this vastly growing cohort. Ideas are being put forth now to create urban communities for senior living that will embrace continued learning and service opportunities. Aging-In-Place models, where seniors remain at home and in the community in which they have always lived is argued in research entitled, Innovative Models of Aging in Place: Transforming our Communities for an Aging Population (Bookman). Membership in a community can build relationships and identify common interests and purpose, as well as integrated settings to help promote meaning in the “golden years”. Bookman states that this is a global phenomenon and that in 1950 only 8% of the world population was over 60. Less than 70 years later that has changed dramatically, with the largest increase occurring in the most developed nations. The many benefits are people who are not only living longer, but leading active and healthy lives into ones 80’s and 90’s. The wisdom, experience and skills of this older population are available to family, friends and the communities for many decades. On the other hand, there are also

To compensate for this, many are looking towards helping older adults stay in their home for as long as possible, even if they experience functional or cognitive impairments. This idea is known as aging in place. In the USA, 95% of adults over the age of 75 want to age in place. There are benefits and challenges to aging in place. The benefits of aging in place are that it improves perceived quality of life and is cost-effective, whereas the challenges include declines in cognitive and functional abilities of older adults, as well as time pressures on formal and informal caregivers who must visit older adults in their homes throughout the community (Connelly, Laghari, Mokhtari, & Falk, 2014).

So by quoting this data Halpern demonstrates that looking back more than 200 years and comparing it to modern times, people are entering into marriage later in life, there are fewer large families, and more people are living by themselves. However, looking back only a few decades he concludes that the number of young people in America who are living alone is increasing very quickly. He further supports that the increase in occupations that are solitary in nature are also contributing to the loneliness of America, which Halpern describes in his introduction as “traveling salesmen, Web designers, phone-bank operators, and online day traders who live and work in

Being a social worker with older adults for over 30 years has shown me that this population is vulnerable to social isolation due to a multitude of losses. These include the death of one’s spouse and friends, retirement, reduced finances, physical and cognitive decline. The recent advent of social media has brought the potential to improve emotional well-being by connecting people. A number of studies have explored the relationship between Internet and quality of life, however, there is little evidence available looking specifically at social engagement tools as a means to improve emotional health. I would like to focus specifically on the effects of social engagement on isolation among older adults and I believe doctoral research is necessary to achieve this goal.

Of the total population of the United States, 39 million are 65 and older. Of those 39 million older adults, about 5% reside in nursing homes, with the median age of 83.2 years (Urdaneta & Thakur, 2010). It is estimated that by the year 2030, 20% of the nation’s population will be 65 and older (Glaister & Blair, 2008). With the number of older adults rising significantly, so will the number residing in nursing homes. A significant amount of older adults will experience depression. Depression is prevalent in older adults, and those residing in nursing homes seem to be at greater risk for developing it (Urdaneta & Thakur, 2010). It is also estimated that the number of older adults experiencing depression is three to five times that of older

Later adulthood is the time in life when changes in marriage, families, and peer relationships are affected the most by the loss of someone close to that person. “Most people 70 years of age or older are widowed, divorced, or single” (Zastrow & Kirst-Ashman, 2010, p.619). Losing a spouse or close friend can create a sense of loneliness, which causes depression, anxiety and the emptiness feeling can become overwhelming. Depression also leads to psychological effects that will deteriorate a person’s health causing the chance for a terminal disease to become much higher. The weaker appearance of older adults causes family and remaining peers to step up in the role of making sure the person’s wellbeing is being met. (Zastrow & Kirst-Ashman, 2010). Living accommodations and healthcare needs

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “older adults are at an increased risk of depression, because depression is more common in people who have other illnesses, and 80% of older adults have a chronic condition” (CDC, 2017). The CDC also mentions that older adults are often misdiagnosed or undertreated, because the symptoms may be thought to be the cause of something else, or the patient doesn’t understand that treatment would be beneficial and do not seek help.

The ability to support the older people keep up social ties with the use of technical devices such as telephone is vital, and there is indication that older people may benefit from the use of internet as a befriending opportunity (Skingley, 2013). According to Age UK (2009), there is no evidence to effectiveness of services aimed at reducing loneliness and social isolation among older people, but concludes that there is a need to focus on befriending services for older people, in particular the effectiveness of such services in terms of their impact on older people’s quality of life and their overall preventive value.

As people age they develop many special needs related to the later period of life. Many elderly people have specific physical needs where adaptations to their home are necessary or where they need specific equipment for self care. Old age also brings new emotional challenges for the elderly person when the family can be useful in helping to meet the persons mental health needs. Senior citizens experience needs in their social life; they also experience the need for activities with other seniors. Health needs also negatively affect the elderly and cause multiple physical problems. Every elderly person experiences needs that are related to each of these areas.

As we get older, our social connections often gets smaller, only having things or people that are extremely important to us. In this paper we will be examining the social-psychological problems; social isolation and loneliness that are faced by elderly by facilitating the response to five main discussion topics. The following discussion will facilitate the understanding of social isolation and loneliness, the risk factors, explore the prevalence of social isolation and loneliness in long term care facilities and the role of occupational therapist assistants and physiotherapist assistants have this emerging issue of social isolation.

According to George Monbiot’s article “The Age of Loneliness Is Killing Us” Monbiot states that society is shifting into isolation and loneliness. Instead of having the age of sharing and socializing. Each and every individual is wanting to stay alone with their own solitude and loneliness. Monbiot recognizes this damaging effect on society and states that how much dangerous it is. To start off. Monbiot claims that we as humans are social beings and always will be “We were social creatures from the start,” by disagreeing with Thomas Hobbes’s claim on our human state of nature “of every man against every man.” Monbiot sees this idea of every person on their own an epidemic of loneliness in today’s age, and how it

being separated means being alone. This is true of every creature, and it is true of man