LIVING ALONE, SOCIAL SUPPORT, AND FEELING LONELY AMONG THE ELDERLY

This study aimed to describe the characteristics of the elderly population living alone, and to examine how living alone relates to feeling lonely. Interviews were conducted with a stratified random sample of 4,859 elderly individuals living in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Variables collected included demographic information, living alone or not, activities of daily living (ADL), instrumental activities of daily living (IADL), Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire (SPMSQ), chronic conditions, perceived social support, and a subjective measure of feeling lonely. Using logistic regression, it was found that factors associated with living alone included gender, marital status, occupation, source of income, religion, and IADL. Living alone was, in turn, related to decreased levels of both perceived social support and feeling lonely after adjustment for potential confounders. Managing retired life is important for adult elders, particularly for men. Lack of social support is common among the elderly community who live alone, which could well be a main reason for this group to feel lonely. As loneliness is linked to physical and mental health problems, increasing social support and facilitating friendship should be factored into life-style management for communities of elderly.

Download Full-text

The Effect of Exercise Way to Activities of Daily Living and Social Support of the Elderly

Journal of Sport and Leisure Studies ◽

10.51979/kssls.2008.05.32.659 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 32 ◽

pp. 659-668

Author(s):

Dae Sun Ko ◽

Geum Yong Lee ◽

Ick Won Kang

Keyword(s):

Social Support ◽

Activities Of Daily Living ◽

Daily Living ◽

The Elderly

Download Full-text

Relationship of Perceived Social Support with Mental Health in Older Caregivers

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph17113886 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 17 (11) ◽

pp. 3886 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Laura Muñoz-Bermejo ◽

José Carmelo Adsuar ◽

Salvador Postigo-Mota ◽

Inés Casado-Verdejo ◽

Claudia Mara de Melo-Tavares ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Social Support ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Perceived Social Support ◽

Well Being ◽

Health State ◽

Physical And Mental Health ◽

Older Caregivers ◽

Elderly Caregivers ◽

Mental Well Being

Background: Elderly caregivers present increased physical and mental health problems. These factors can lead to a lack of autonomy and a need for social support. This study aims to analyse the relationships between perceived social support and mental health status in elderly caregivers aged 65 and older. Methods: a cross-sectional study based on data from the Spanish National Health Survey (ENSE-17) carried out on 7023 people. The study population was restricted to 431 caregivers aged ≥65 years. A study of the correlation between the mental health state and the perceived social support was carried out. Both variables were related to the sex of the caregiver. Results: Perceived social support by older caregivers is significantly related to mental health (p = 0.001), and stress (p < 0.001). Also, there is a significant relationship between perceived social support and mental well-being (p = 0.001), self-esteem (p = 0.005) and stress (p = 0.001) in older women caregivers. Conclusions: Older caregivers have adequate mental well-being and perceive high social support. Perceived social support can contribute to improving the mental well-being of older caregivers.

Download Full-text

Depression and Life Satisfaction Among Middle-Aged and Older Adults: Mediation Effect of Functional Disability

Frontiers in Psychology ◽

10.3389/fpsyg.2021.755220 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

An Li ◽

Dewen Wang ◽

Shengnan Lin ◽

Meijie Chu ◽

Shiling Huang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Life Satisfaction ◽

Activities Of Daily Living ◽

Daily Living ◽

Older Persons ◽

Functional Disability ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Mediation Effect ◽

Physical And Mental Health ◽

Middle Aged ◽

Aged People

With increasing age, middle-aged and older persons face a series of physical and mental health problems. This study aimed to explore the latent relationships among age, functional disability, depression, and life satisfaction. The data were obtained from the Wave 2 (in 2013–2014) and Wave 3 (in 2015–2016) surveys of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study. The analytic sample in the present study included 15,950 individuals aged 45 years and over. The participants answered the same questions concerning depression and life satisfaction in both study waves, and functional disability was measured based on the activities of daily living and instrumental activities of daily living. Age was directly associated with functional disability, life satisfaction, and depression. Functional disability was positively correlated with depression and negatively correlated with life satisfaction. Functional disability strongly mediated the relationships among age, depression, and life satisfaction. Depression and life satisfaction were found to have enduring effects and effects on each other. Additionally, the model revealed a gender difference. Depression in middle-aged people should receive closer attention. Avoiding or improving functional disability may be an effective way to improve life satisfaction and reduce the level of depression in middle-aged and older persons. If prevention work successfully decreases depression, the life dissatisfaction of middle-aged and older people could be improved. Additionally, for the prevention of functional disability and depression and improvement in life satisfaction, gender differences need to be considered.

Download Full-text

Effective Falls Detection Method Using Two Tri-Axial Accelerometers

Advanced Materials Research ◽

10.4028/www.scientific.net/amr.647.854 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 647 ◽

pp. 854-860

Author(s):

Gye Rok Jeon ◽

Young Jae Kim ◽

Ah Young Jeon ◽

Sang Hoon Lee ◽

Jae Hyung Kim ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Activities Of Daily Living ◽

Daily Living ◽

Detection Rate ◽

Elderly Population ◽

Detection Method ◽

Detection System ◽

Fall Detection ◽

The Elderly ◽

Detection Systems

Falls detection systems have been developed in recent years because falls are detrimental events that can have a devastating effect on health of the elderly population. Current fall detecting methods mainly employ accelerometer to discriminate falls from activities of daily living (ADL). However, this makes it difficult to distinguish real falls from certain fall-like activities such as jogging and jumping. In this paper, an accurate fall detection system was implemented using two tri-axial accelerometers. By attaching the accelerometers on the chest and the abdomen, our system can effectively differentiate between falls and non-fall events.The Diff_Z and Sum_diff_Z parameter resulted in falls detection rate of 100%, respectively.

Download Full-text

Nutritional status, physical performance and functional capacity in an elderly population in southern Brazil

Revista da Associação Médica Brasileira ◽

10.1590/1806-9282.60.03.0013 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 60 (3) ◽

pp. 242-248 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Ana Lúcia Danielewicz ◽

Aline Rodrigues Barbosa ◽

Giovâni Firpo Del Duca

Keyword(s):

Nutritional Status ◽

Activities Of Daily Living ◽

Living Arrangements ◽

Daily Living ◽

Elderly Population ◽

Functional Limitation ◽

Positive Association ◽

The Elderly ◽

Southern Brazil ◽

Cross Sectional

Objective: to investigate the association between nutritional status and functional limitation and disability in an elderly population in southern Brazil. Methods: epidemiological, cross-sectional household-based study carried out with 477 elderly of both sexes (60 to 100 years). Body mass index (BMI) served to assess the nutritional status: underweight (BMI < 22 kg/m2) and overweight (BMI > 27 kg/m2). The sum score (0-5) obtained in three tests: "chair stand" and "pick up a pen" (measured by time) and standing balance (four static measurements) assessed the functional limitation. The disability was evaluated by the difficulty in performing one or more self-reported tasks related to basic activities of daily living (ADLs) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs). Crude and adjusted analyzes (3 models) were carried out using Poisson regression; prevalence ratios (PR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. Results: crude analyzes showed a positive association between underweight and functional limitation (PR = 2.71, 95% CI = 1.63 to 4.51); overweight and disability in ADLs (PR = 2.20, CI 95% = 1.44 to 3.35); overweight and disability in IADLs (PR = 1.56, CI 95% = 1.20 to 2.03). The additional adjustments for gender, age, level of education, living arrangements, current work, cognitive function and number of morbidities reduced the strength of the associations, without changing the statistical strength. Conclusion: nutritional status is a factor that is independently and positively associated with functional limitation and disability. We recommend the use of this indicator to monitor the health of the elderly.

Download Full-text

Incidence and risk factors for falls among community-dwelling elderly subjects on a 1-year follow-up: a prospective cohort study from Ernakulam, Kerala, India

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2019-033691 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (7) ◽

pp. e033691

Author(s):

Divyamol K Sasidharan ◽

Priya Vijayakumar ◽

Manu Raj ◽

Sumi Soman ◽

Libin Antony ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Cohort Study ◽

Activities Of Daily Living ◽

Movement Disorders ◽

Prospective Cohort ◽

Daily Living ◽

The Elderly ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Living Alone

ObjectivesThere is limited knowledge regarding epidemiology and risk of falls among the elderly living in low-income and middle-income countries. In this situation, the current study aims to report the incidence of falls and associated risk factors among free living elderly population from Kerala, India.DesignProspective cohort study with stratified random cluster sampling.SettingThe study location was Ernakulam, Kerala, India, and we collected information via house visits using a questionnaire. During the research, the subjects were followed up prospectively for 1 year by phone at intervals of 3 months and missing subjects were contacted by house visits.ParticipantsCommunity-dwelling elderly above 65 years of age.ResultsWe recruited a total of 1000 participants out of which a total of 201 (20.1%) subjects reported a fall during the follow-up. The incidence rate of falls was 31 (95% CI 27.7 to 34.6) per 100 person-years. Female sex (OR 1.48, 95% CI 1.05 to 2.10, p=0.027), movement disorders including Parkinsonism (OR 2.26, 95% CI 1.00 to 5.05, p=0.048), arthritis (OR 1.48, 95% CI 1.05 to 2.09, p=0.026), dependence in basic activities of daily living (OR, 3.49, 95% CI 2.00 to 6.09, p<0.001), not using antihypertensive medications (OR, 1.53, 95% CI 1.10 to 2.13, p=0.012), living alone during daytime (OR 3.27, 95% CI 1.59 to 6.71, p=0.001) and a history of falls in the previous year (OR, 2.25, 95% CI 1.60 to 3.15, p<0.001) predicted a fall in the following year.ConclusionsOne in five community-dwelling senior citizen fall annually and one in four who fall are prone to fall again in the following year. Interventions targeting falls among the elderly need to focus on modifiable risk factors such as living alone during daytime, movement disorders, arthritis and dependence on basic activities of daily living.

Download Full-text

Geriatric Disaster Preparedness

Prehospital and Disaster Medicine ◽

10.1017/s1049023x15005075 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 30 (5) ◽

pp. 443-446 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Mary Colleen Bhalla ◽

Amos Burgess ◽

Jennifer Frey ◽

William Hardy

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Activities Of Daily Living ◽

Disaster Preparedness ◽

Daily Living ◽

Medical Equipment ◽

Elderly Population ◽

The Elderly ◽

Publication Type ◽

Disaster Plan ◽

Disaster Preparation

AbstractIntroductionThe elderly population has proven to be vulnerable in times of a disaster. Many have chronic medical problems for which they depend on medications or medical equipment. Some older adults are dependent on caregivers for managing their activities of daily living (ADLs), such as dressing, and their instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs), such as transportation.ProblemA coordinated effort for disaster preparation in the elderly population is paramount. This study assessed the potential needs and plans of older adults in the face of a local disaster.MethodsThe setting was a community-based, university-affiliated, urban emergency department (ED) that sees more than 77,000 adult patients per year. A survey on disaster plans and resources needed if evacuated was distributed to 100 community-residing ED patients and visitors aged 65 years and older from January through July 2013. Means and proportions are reported with 95% confidence intervals (CIs).ResultsData were collected from 13 visitors and 87 patients. The mean age was 76 years, and 54% were female. Thirty-one responded that they had a disaster plan in place (31/100; CI, 22.4-41.4%). Of those 31, 94% (29/31; CI, 78.6-99.2%) had food and water as part of their plan, 62% (19/29; CI, 42.2-78.2%) had a supply of medication, and 35% (12/31; CI, 21.8-57.8%) had an evacuation plan. When asked what supplies the 100 subjects might need if evacuated, 33% (CI, 23.9-43.1%) needed a walker, 15% (CI, 8.6-23.5%) needed a wheelchair, 78% (CI, 68.6-85.7%) needed glasses, 17% (CI, 10.2-25.8%) needed a hearing aid, 16% (CI, 9.4-24.7%) needed a glucometer, 93% (CI, 86.1-97.1%) needed medication, 14% (CI, 7.8-22.4%) needed oxygen, 23% (CI, 15.2-32.5%) needed adult diapers, and 21% (CI, 13.2-30.3%) had medical equipment that required electricity. Many of the subjects also required help with one or more of their ADLS, the most common being dressing (17%; CI, 10.3-26.1%), or their IADLS, the most common being transportation (39%; CI, 29.7-49.7%). Only 42% (CI, 32.3-52.7%) were interested in learning more about disaster preparation.ConclusionOnly a minority of the older adults in the study population had a disaster plan in place. Most of the respondents would require medications, and many would require medical supplies if evacuated.BhallaMC, BurgessA, FreyJ, HardyW. Geriatric disaster preparedness. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2015;30(5):443–446.

Download Full-text