scholarly journals Social Relationships and Suicidal Ideation Among the Elderly Who Live Alone in Republic of Korea: A Logistic Model

2018 ◽  
Vol 55 ◽  
pp. 004695801877417 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hyun-Jung Kwon ◽  
Ji-Ung Jeong ◽  
Mihyang Choi
Keyword(s):  
Suicidal Ideation ◽  
Social Relationships ◽  
Logistic Model ◽  
Population Aging ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Living Alone ◽  
Public System ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Korean Elderly ◽  
Elderly Living

With population aging and change in family structure, the number of the elderly who live alone is rapidly increasing in Korea. The aim of this study was to explore the association between social relationships—especially newly formed formal social relationships (FSRs)—and suicidal ideation among Korean elderly who live alone. The elderly who live alone (N = 2509) from the 2014 Survey of Living Conditions and Welfare Needs of Older Koreans were analyzed using logistic regression. This study found that informal social relationships (ISRs) (eg, children, friends and neighbors) of the elderly who live alone had statistically significant association with suicidal ideation, whereas FSRs (eg, formal helper and social participation) did not have significant association with suicidal ideation. The findings of this study suggest that the Korean Government needs to strengthen public system for alleviating social isolation of the elderly living alone. Therefore, this study proposed 2 strategic approaches to maintain and strengthen ISRs and to develop different types of FSRs (eg, the measures to combine FSRs with ISRs, gatekeepers, etc).

P02-243 Life satisfaction, depression and spirituality for Korean elderly people

2011 ◽  
Vol 26 (S2) ◽  
pp. 839-839
Author(s):  
S.B. Lee
Keyword(s):  
Life Satisfaction ◽  
Elderly People ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Living Alone ◽  
Spiritual Well Being ◽  
Group 2 ◽  
Korean Elderly ◽  
Elderly Living ◽  
Group 1

AimThe purpose of this study was to assess Korean elderly people's residential condition with or without cohabitants, spouse and children, and to analyze their depression, spirituality and life satisfaction depending on residential condition.Methods160 subjects were randomly selected from one of religious organizations, Suwon City, Kyounggi Do, South Korea. The participants were divided into Group 1 (the elderly living alone: n = 74, Mean Age = 72.45, SD = 6.78) and Group 2 (the elderly living with spouse and/or children: n = 86, Mean Age = 72.12, SD = 6.82). The subjects participated in the survey forms of spiritual well-being, life satisfaction, and depression. It was hypothesized that the elderly living alone (Group 1) had lower scale in the areas of spiritual well-being, life satisfaction and higher scale in depression.ResultsThe t-test on the mean of each scale for the Group 1 and Group 2 was significant: Korean elderly people, who were living alone without family support, were less satisfied (p < .001), more depressed (p < .0001) and their spiritual well-being scale was lower (p < .001). For the total participants (n = 160). there was a positive correlation between spiritual well-being and life satisfaction (rho = .56, p < .001). There was negative correlation between depression and spiritual wellbeing (rho = −.67, p < .0001); depression and life satisfaction (rho = −.78, p < .0001).ConclusionFor the mental health professionals, including psychiatrists and gerontologists, it is important to understand the elderly people's residential situation, emotional support as well as to assess their life satisfaction and spiritual well-being in terms of quality of life measurement.

scholarly journals Nutrition Study People over 80 Years

2012 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 77-89
Author(s):  
Javier Benítez ◽  
Nieves Perejón ◽  
Marcelino Arriaza ◽  
Pilar Bellanco
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Blood Chemistry ◽  
Living Alone ◽  
Age Group ◽  
Nutrition Study ◽  
Geriatric Evaluation ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Elderly Living

Loneliness has always been associated and reported as a risk factor of malnutrition in the elderly. People over 80 who live alone have deserved this study to detect their situation and potential for action to improve their quality of life. Objectives: To determinate the nutritional status of people over 80 living alone in the area of “La Laguna”, Cádiz. Material and method: In PIAMLA`80 program analyse those parameters and their possible correlations in a group of 342 elderly living alone over 80 years old. Different parameters were measured: Integral Geriatric Evaluation, Barthel, Lawton-Brody, Lobo, Gijon, specific analytical blood chemistry and MNA. Results: In a population of 984 people, were selected 342 initially, but finally the group decreases to 247 people. The mean Barthel was 80.42 points, 5.76 Lawton and Gijon from 11.3 Lobo 26.48. The MNA for the whole population was 24.25/30 detecting only a risk age group in women of 85-95. Correlation between nutrition and the biochemical test values showed positive for haemoglobin (0.19), total protein (0.26), Fe (0.32) and albumin (0.46). Conclusions: In our research we have not detected malnutrition in any age group or gender. The use of nutrition test MNA and its MINI version must be generalized as an accurate, clear, quick and easy tool to use.

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