Attuning to the needs of structural socially isolated older adults with complex problems: the experiences of social workers with personal guidance trajectories for a less‐researched group

Machielse, Anja; Duyndam, Joachim

doi:10.1111/hsc.13319

Cited by 3 publications

(2 citation statements)

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“…For example, the strong need for control of the socially older adults leads to the rejection of help and interference, while they have a strong need to talk about their lives and their situation. These findings are relevant because evaluation studies show that interventions for socially isolated older adults produce hardly positive results (Dickens et al, 2011;Machielse, 2015Machielse, , 2022Gardiner et al, 2018;Machielse and Duyndam, 2021;Beckers et al, 2022). Knowledge of meaning needs can help improve the quality of support for this target group.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

‘I'm a fighter and I do not give up’ – Socially isolated older adults' experiences with meaning in life

Machielse

2024

Ageing and Society

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Positively experienced relationships with family, partners and friends are the most important source of meaning in life for older persons. At the same time, Western countries are confronted with a growing number of socially isolated older adults who lack those relationships. This study aims to explore whether and how older adults who live in social isolation experience meaning in life. Data were collected via in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 24 socially isolated older adults, ranging in age from 62 to 94, all living in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. The criterion-based sampling of participants took place in close consultation with social workers of a mentoring project for socially isolated older adults. Follow-up interviews with 22 participants improved the credibility of findings and contributed to the breadth and depth of the researched casuistry. Data were analysed using an analytical framework based on seven needs of meaning identified by Baumeister (purpose, values, efficacy, self-worth) and Derkx (coherence, excitement, connectedness). The study demonstrates that isolated older adults may find anchors for meaning in life, although not all needs for meaning are satisfied, and there can also be tension between different needs. The needs-based model provides concrete distinctions for enabling care-givers to recognise elements of meaning.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

‘I'm a fighter and I do not give up’ – Socially isolated older adults' experiences with meaning in life

Machielse

2024

Ageing and Society

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“…Professional empathy is also a prerequisite for timely detection of accumulation of problems and the need for other types of help, e.g. because a client's independence is threatened by mounting health issues (Machielse and Duyndam, forthcoming).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

‘She shouldn't cross the line’: experiential effectivity of social guidance trajectories for socially isolated older adults with complex problems

Machielse

2020

Ageing and Society

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Social isolation of older adults is difficult to break through, and interventions that focus on network development or enhanced social participation are hardly effective, especially when the older adults have been isolated for a long time and have problems in multiple life domains. This study aimed to investigate the needs and subjective experiences of this less-researched group and obtain a deeper understanding of their goals and priorities. The study involved a qualitative study with 25 socially isolated persons who receive assistance from a social worker in an individual guidance trajectory. Data were collected via repeated in-depth interviews with the older adults. By directing the focus towards their subjective experiences, the study gives insight into the ‘experiential effectivity’ of the intervention. It shows what their experienced problems were, and to what degree they benefited from the intervention in this respect. The experience of personal attention and involvement of the social workers represents the most relevant results for them. The participants have no need for network development or engagement in local communities. Yet, the help offered by the social workers produces other results for them, such as solved practical problems, emotional support, more self-sufficiency, a point of contact or a safety net that was not there before. This knowledge can help to improve the quality of intervention for this target group.

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Mapping Social Work’s Response to the ‘Grand Challenge’ of Loneliness: A Systematic Scoping Review of the Literature

Courts,

Brophy,

Bleue

et al. 2024

The British Journal of Social Work

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Loneliness is recognised as a ‘grand challenge’ for social work, given its negative impact on health and well-being. But there has been limited progress on how social workers should respond. We aimed to characterise social work research on loneliness from 2016 to 2021, to inform policy, practice and training. We utilised the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology for scoping reviews with a narrative synthesis of results. Data were extracted on study characteristics, assessment and intervention strategies, the role of social workers in this literature and limitations in the research. The final review consisted of 366 studies. Results showed a steady growth in research outputs on loneliness over time, predominantly (40 per cent) aimed at improving social work practice. Qualitative research methods (45 per cent) and cross-sectional study designs (61 per cent) were most common. Fewer than one-third of studies (32 per cent) used a formal assessment tool to identify loneliness. The most common intervention strategies examined were enhancing social relationships (30 per cent) and person-centred solutions (21 per cent). A slight majority (57 per cent) of peer-reviewed journal articles had a social work lead author. The review indicates social workers are engaged in research and action on loneliness, but ensuring this expertise is visible, led by social workers and accessible, remains a challenge.

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Attuning to the needs of structural socially isolated older adults with complex problems: the experiences of social workers with personal guidance trajectories for a less‐researched group

Abstract: This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs License, which permits use and distribution in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited, the use is non-commercial and no modifications or adaptations are made.

Cited by 3 publications

References 40 publications

‘I'm a fighter and I do not give up’ – Socially isolated older adults' experiences with meaning in life

‘I'm a fighter and I do not give up’ – Socially isolated older adults' experiences with meaning in life

‘She shouldn't cross the line’: experiential effectivity of social guidance trajectories for socially isolated older adults with complex problems

Mapping Social Work’s Response to the ‘Grand Challenge’ of Loneliness: A Systematic Scoping Review of the Literature

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