Loneliness in Low-Vision Older Women

Abstract

The purpose of this analysis was to identify predictors of loneliness in women 75 years of age and older with low vision. The sample of 56 women was derived from a larger study of low-vision adults. Women's loneliness, optimism, social support, living arrangement, vision, and perceived health were examined using the revised University of California, Los Angeles, Loneliness Scale, the Life Orientation Test, the Social Support Questionnaire, and a demographic questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlations, multiple regressions, and t-tests. Optimism and social support satisfaction were found to predict degree of loneliness in the sample. Women who were less optimistic and less satisfied with their social support system experienced higher levels of loneliness. Duration of visual impairment was associated with duration of loneliness. The findings provide nurses with information for identifying low-vision older women who are at risk for loneliness.

Emotional and social consequences of age-related low vision

“…Partly confirming this argument, social support satisfaction, especially satisfaction with the relaxation and the caring networks, 91 was inversely related to loneliness. 92,102,104 With respect to the social support network size, the results are contradictory. Barron et al 91 found loneliness to be associated with a smaller network size, while network size had no effect on loneliness in studies by Foxall et al 92,104 Discussion The aim of this review was to synthesize two decades of empirical research on visual impairment.…”

“…In contrast, the results of Foxall et al 104 indicated no such relationship. Barron et al, 102 however, reported the duration of visual impairment to be significantly related to the duration (but, again, not degree) of loneliness in a sample of elderly women. Elderly women who had been visually impaired for a longer time experienced longer phases of loneliness.…”

“…The results of these studies indicate that visually impaired subjects who were less optimistic and scored higher on the social anxiety scale experienced higher levels of loneliness. 102,104 Our preceding arguments with respect to social support might also be applied to loneliness: living alone may be a risk factor for loneliness, especially for the visually impaired. However, Barron et al 102 and Foxall et al 92 did not find any evidence that loneliness among lowvision older adults was higher for those living alone than for those living with others.…”

“…102,104 Our preceding arguments with respect to social support might also be applied to loneliness: living alone may be a risk factor for loneliness, especially for the visually impaired. However, Barron et al 102 and Foxall et al 92 did not find any evidence that loneliness among lowvision older adults was higher for those living alone than for those living with others. As with social support, marital status did not predict loneliness in the study by Barron et al 91 The authors did suggest that marital status and loneliness may be related indirectly through social support in a way that marital status may influence the availability of and expectations regarding network resources.…”

Loneliness, adaptation to vision impairment, social support and depression among visually impaired elderly

“…Several studies have shown a high prevalence of loneliness among visually impaired elderly people [7][8][9][10][11] that seems to increase with the gravity and duration of visual impairment [12,13]. In a recent Dutch study a prevalence of about 44% loneliness was found among older people in general [14].…”