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loneliness in old age case study
effects of social isolation
effects of social isolation
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The rocking chair softly squeaks as the tears cruise down the deeply lined face. Thoughts of long past visits, laughter and happier times swiftly race through the minds. Now it seems as if there is only sadness, empty days and lonely nights. The memories no longer bring comfort but instead now only bring pain. This is the story of our elderly. All too often they become the forgotten members of our society. So many times, the elders in our communities are not being socialized. This lack can lead to depression and health problems that perhaps could be avoided under different circumstances. In a case study by Indiana University, in 1994, they studied 1,711 patients 60 years and older. Over a period of nine months, they discovered that 292 of the patients were depressed and that 140 remained in clinical depression. These patients had poorer health and more emergency room visits and outpatient care than their non-depressed counterparts. (McManamy, 2003) Cardiovascular problems as well as a variety of other health issues have been linked to social isolation and loneliness. Loneliness specifically due to lack of emotional support and lack of companionship gives a rise to this problem. Clinical research showed that individuals who had fewer social connections often have a worse prognosis than those who have more. (Sorkin, Rook PH.D., & Lu, 2002) When the heart is affected by loneliness it seems to have a direct link to heart problems in the physical body. According to Susan Womack, in her article “Elderly People living ‘lonely lives’,” she tells of how a survey was completed by a group named Help the Aged who took a close look at the conditions of the elderly individuals in Britain. The results were staggering. Almost half of those su... ... middle of paper ... ...M. (1987). Socila Interaction, Loneliness and Emotional Well-Being Among the Elderly. Sage Journals Online , 459-482. McManamy, J. (2003, December 5). Depression in the Elderly. Retrieved October 4, 2010, from McMan's Depression and Bipolar Web: http://www.mcmanweb.com/elderly.depression.html Sorkin, D., Rook PH.D., K. S., & Lu, J. L. (2002). Loneliness, Lack of Emotional Support, Lack of Companionship and the Likelihood of Having a Heart Condition in an Elderly Sample. Annals of Behavioral Medicine , 290-298. Womack, S. (2007, October 26). Elderly People Living 'lonely lives'. Retrieved April 16, 2011, from The Telegraph: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1567381/Elderly-people-living-lonely-lives.html Yang, Y. (2007). Is Old Age Depressing? Growth Trajectories and Cohorts Variations in Late-Life Depression. Journal of Health and Social Behavior , 16-32.
Disengagement theory is useful and relevant in understanding the social world of older people. However, the theory is contradicted by empirical evidence that revealed high levels of activity and engagement amongst many older people. (Johnson & Barer, 1992) suggest that the idea that older people consider withdrawing from social roles and interactions from the society a positive step is preposterous. They carried a study to determine social adaptation among 150 individuals, 85 years and older. The sample was selected from municipal voting rolls on the US using a snowball technique. Data were collected through in-depth open ended structured interviews in the respondents’ homes. Health and functioning were evaluated by the OARS measures of perceived
The older adult population consists of people 65 and older (Miller, & Stoeckel, 2011). Depression is greater in women than men, however, the cause is unknown (Public Health Agency of Canada, 2010). Both, males and females who have been previously depressed or have a biological relative with depression, have an increased risk of depression (Public Health Agency of Canada, 2010). Seniors in long-term care facilities have a higher rate of being diagnosed with depression (14-42%) than those who continue to live within the community (1%-5%), therefore, levels of diagnosed depression fluctuate depending on location of residence (Public Health Agency of Canada, 2010). A recent Canadian study shows 44% of older adults living in residential care have been diagnosed with depression or have symptoms of depression (Public Health Agency of Canada, 2010). Depression can cause higher mortality rates, even when supplementary risk factors are considered, however, the reasons are not entirely understood (Public Health Agency of Canada, 2010). Studies have shown that older adults with depression are one and a half to two times more likely to pass on than those without depression (Public Health Agency of Canada, 2010).
Residents on wing 2 East at Leisure world Brampton, Wood was the target community of interest that was assessed. My aggregate are elderly resident age 80 – 90 years living with social isolation in wing 2 East at Leisure World long term care center, Brampton, Wood. The assessment was focused on the causes of social isolation; observed among the resident during windshield survey and interview with key informants. Social isolation and loneliness are described as feelings that are often experience by Older adults (Lucie,Gavin, Gosselin &Laforest 2009).
Acquiring a comprehensive understanding of the ailments encountered by the aging population is critical for properly providing the care that they require. Physical ailments, often easier to diagnose and treat are perceived to be the most prevalent hardships for aged people. However, studies show that a significant number of seniors are subject to mental illnesses. Thus, emphasizing the need for the important of mental health within the aging population. Though all mental illnesses have an unfavorable impact on the quality of one’s life, depressive and anxiety disorders tend to the most devastating for an elderly person.
More specifically, the transitions associated with later life like retirement, medical problems, death of a loved ones, reduced social networks leads to depression in aging population (National Alliance on Mental Illness, 2009). It is seen that depression is one of the most common mental disorder among adults aged 65 and older (National Alliance on Mental Illness, 2009).Depression is associated with anxiety and suffering that can lead to physical, mental, and social impairments. The presence of depressive disorders often negatively impact the course and complicates the treatment of other chronic diseases too (National Alliance on Mental Illness, 2009).According to National Alliance of Mental Illness there are more than two million of the 40 million Americans age 65 and older who suffer from some form of depression (National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI), 2009).
Aging and old age for a long time presented as dominated by negative traits and states such as sickness, depression and isolation. The aging process is not simply senescence most people over the age of 65 are not Senile, bedridden, isolated, or suicidal (Aldwin & Levenson, 1994). This change in perspective led the investigation of the other side of the coin. Ageing is seen as health, maturity and personal Royal growth, self-acceptance, happiness, generatively, coping and acceptance of age-related constraints (Birren & Fisher, 1995). Psychological und...
Older adults are a very knowledgeable population and have had a lot of life experiences. As people age, things start to change physically, mentally, and socially. It’s important to understand the process of aging, so that older adults can be taken care of properly. I interviewed P.R. who is a 71-year-old male that lives alone in his home. P.R. is a retired coal miner, and is currently living off his social security and savings. He lives close to both his daughter and son, who frequently help him out with things that are needed. P.R. was able to give me a lot of insight about specific challenges that he has experienced in his life that is associated with aging. I will be discussing challenges that P.R experienced physically, mentally,
Several barriers exist, for example, some practitioners feel as if they have limited experience in this area, many feel older adults are depressed and lonely, and it may be a challenge to work with them. However, over the last 30 years the field has made significant progress and more social workers are taking an interest in working with this population. The writer enjoyed this assignment because she was challenged to reflect on her views regarding older adults. It was easy for her to dismiss their existence and what they have to offer because they function differently from the writer. This situation opened the writer’s eyes because she never took the time to assess this population’s strengths. If the individual in the store were someone she knew, she would have behaved differently. The writer recognizes this man may be someone’s cousin, father, granddad, friend and husband. Therefore, he should be treated with dignity and respect and not minimized because he moves a little slower than others. This reflection is a reminder that she to assess and evaluate her biases regarding older adults because they are just as significant as any other
Active ageing does not stop when elderly people retire as they can remain active through their families, peers and communities. Active ageing aims allows elderly people to realise and bring awareness to their own psychological, physical and mental well-being as the goal active ageing is the autonomy and independence of elderly people (Alexandre, Cordeiro, & Ramos, 2009).
The elderly represents a large amount of the population in our society and continues to grow each day. As the population grows, it is important to meet the demands and resolve the challenges that we encounter in regards to the overall quality of health and well-being of the elderly. Mental health of the elderly is a major issue but majority of the time goes unnoticed and untreated by caregivers and loved ones. About 20 percent of adults 55 and older are suffering from some type of mental health disorder, and one in three elderly adults do not receive any type of treatment (The State of Mental Health, 2008). Those suffering from mental illness are hesitant to seek out help or any type of treatment because of the stigma, services and cost for care that then comes with mental health disorders. Mental health issues that affect elderly include dementia, delirium, and psychosis. Some of the most common conditions include anxiety, mood disorders such as depression and bipolar disorder and cognitive impairment such as Alzheimer’s disease. Mental health is essential to the
Much of the research for this study, of course, focused on loneliness and the findings show that it is viewed in many diverse ways. Just to refresh readers’ memories, “loneliness is defined as perceived deficiencies in one’s ongoing relationships” (Jin & Park, 2012). This means that a person feels as if s/he does not have enough friends or that the friendships that s/he may have are not as fulfilling as might be desired. Jin and Park (2012) say that studies regularly find that people who describe themselves as lonely have problems with interpersonal communication. Other researchers describe loneliness as a “disturbing experience” that results from negative social skills, which includes problems with “interpersonal decoding skills,
Establishing friendship or a sense of camaraderie is critical to our overall fitness and one’s health may suffer if they are not getting adequate social support. Hawkley and Cacioppo (2010) drew parallels between loneliness and the physical sensations of hunger, thirst, and even pain when a person is faced with being disconnected socially. In fact, ongoing research in the areas of loneliness and social isolation have consistently shown that those who are chronically lonely may suffer from a variety of health consequences such as cardiovascular problems, accelerated aging, and even earlier mortality to name a few (Caspi et al., 2006; Hawkley & Cacioppo, 2007). One such study by Caspi and colleagues (2006) illustrated the consequences of just how impactful
Because emotional health can be related to social support, this means that the young person facing loneliness can be positively affected by being exposed to a social support group. A study of 700 Canadian 13 to 80 -year-olds showed that changes in emotional distress due to loneliness spiked from the early teens to the late teens and early twenties. Towards middle adulthood and through late adulthood, the feelings of loneliness declined. If the person can find a social support that can supports them emotionally, their well-being will improve.
(Nguyen, Sarkari, Macneil, Cowan, & Rankin, 2013). The main cause and outcome of social exclusion is poverty and has been known to cause numerous complications in relation to mental and physical wellbeing. There are four factors that have been found to lead to social exclusion these are societal discrimination, little opportunities to actively participate in society, the social exclusion of goods/needs, and the lack of financial resources to maintain their lifestyle (Nguyen et al., 2013). Social exclusion can perpetuate a tragic cycle where poverty comes from social exclusion and social exclusion leads to poverty. Which can mean that older adults can be more likely to live with multiple chronic illness, malnutrition, have high-stress levels, and experience multiple moments of loneliness, depression and anxiety (Nguyen et al., 2013). Fostering versatility and avoiding dependency roles can help the young-old to the old-old maintain their dependence and avoid social exclusion (Minett,
Most often people that are living alone become socially isolated, they increase alcohol consumption, also fell empty or worthless and they experience sleeping difficulties. Loneliness could be combating accessing psychological therapies as well as community schemes that general inclusivity and a sense to make them fill that they are in the right place.