Managing loneliness: a qualitative study of older people’s views

Kharicha, Kalpa; Manthorpe, Jill; Iliffe, Steve; Chew‐Graham, Carolyn; Cattan, Mima; Goodman, Claire; Kirby-Barr, Maggie; Whitehouse, Jodi; Walters, Kate

doi:10.1080/13607863.2020.1729337

Cited by 37 publications

(41 citation statements)

References 30 publications

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“…• To optimize social health and ease social isolation despite social distancing measures: increase social contacts; engage with a person really close to you, especially when you are living alone; take personal responsibility for managing feelings of loneliness (Kharicha et al, 2020); and replace touching by verbal expression of affection. • To optimize mental health: prevent depression by reaching out especially when you do not consider yourself in need of it.…”

Section: Strategies To Mitigate the Impact Of Social Distancingmentioning

confidence: 99%

The risks of social distancing for older adults: a call to balance

Vernooij‐Dassen

Verhey

Lapid

2020

Int. Psychogeriatr.

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Section: Strategies To Mitigate the Impact Of Social Distancingmentioning

confidence: 99%

The risks of social distancing for older adults: a call to balance

Vernooij‐Dassen

Verhey

Lapid

2020

Int. Psychogeriatr.

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“…Participants in this study were comfortable using digital technology to stay in touch with friends and family in geographically distant locations, particularly to maintain close family connections. Kharicha et al also found that engagement with the outside world by landline telephones and computers was an important strategy adopted by older people experiencing loneliness [ 43 ]. For this reason, it would seem plausible that technology to facilitate local, proximate, connections and social lives would also be acceptable, should it fill perceived gaps and not lead to unacceptable levels of additional effort.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, our research showed that participants were not using existing online services designed to develop new relationships, indicating that these did not appeal. This is echoed by findings that older people who were lonely did not report using the internet to cultivate new friendships, despite using telephones and computers to engage with the outside world [ 43 ]. In fact, one participant, Deborah, had instead capitalised on the ability of an accommodation matching platform to facilitate face-to-face interactions in her home with strangers, who then had the potential to become friends.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Connecting at Local Level: Exploring Opportunities for Future Design of Technology to Support Social Connections in Age-friendly Communities

Liddle

Pitcher

Montague

et al. 2020

IJERPH

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Social connectedness in later life is an important dimension of an age-friendly community, with associated implications for individual health and wellbeing. In contrast with prior efforts focusing on connections at a distance or online communities where the digital technology is the interface, we explore the design opportunities and role of technology for connectedness within a geographically local community context. We present findings from interviews with 22 older adults and a linked ideation workshop. Our analysis identified shared concerns and negative perceptions around local relationships, connections and characteristics of the geographical area. However, local connectedness through technology was largely absent from day-to-day life and even perceived as contributing to disconnection. By uncovering how older adults use and perceive technology in their social lives and combining these findings with their ideas for improving local connections, we highlight the need for thoughtful consideration of the role of technology in optimising social connections within communities. Our research highlights a need for design work to understand the specifics of the local context and reduce emphasis on technology as the interface between people. We introduce an amended definition—‘underpinned by a commitment to respect and social inclusion, an age-friendly community is engaged in a strategic and ongoing process to facilitate active ageing by optimising the community’s physical, social and digital environments and its supporting infrastructure’—to conceptualise our approach. We conclude by suggesting areas for future work in developing digitally connected age-friendly communities.

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“…For instance, reflection and acceptance have been found to be important strategies to reduce distress caused by loneliness ( Rokach, 2018 ). This strategy has found to be more common in older individuals and in those who have experienced long-term loneliness ( Kharicha et al, 2020 ). It is believed that these strategies are more common in older individuals because they are more likely to attribute loneliness to stable, irreversible factors ( Pinquart & Sorensen, 2001 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Loneliness in Later Life and Reaching Longevity: Findings From the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam

Brandts

Tilburg

Bosma³

et al. 2020

The Journals of Gerontology: Series B

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Objectives There is an increasing research interest in factors that characterize those who reach exceptionally old ages. Although loneliness is often associated with an increased risk for premature mortality, its relationship with reaching longevity is still unclear. We aimed to quantify the association between (social/emotional) loneliness and the likelihood of reaching the age of 90 years in men and women separately. Methods For these analyses, data from the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam (LASA) was used. Loneliness, social loneliness and emotional loneliness were assessed at baseline using the 11-item De Jong-Gierveld scale in 1992-93 (at age 64-85 years). Follow-up for vital status information until the age of 90 years was 99.5% complete. Multivariable-adjusted Cox regression analyses with a fixed follow-up time were based on 1,032 men and 1,078 women to calculate Risk Ratios (RR) of reaching 90 years. Results No significant associations were observed between loneliness and reaching 90 years in both men (RR,0.90; 95%CI,0.70-1.14) and women (RR,0.98; 95%CI,0.83-1.14). Social loneliness was significantly associated with a reduced chance of reaching 90 years in women (RR,0.82; 95%CI,0.67-0.99). Discussion The current analyses, did not show support for the existence of a meaningful effect of loneliness on reaching longevity in both sexes. When investigating specific dimensions of loneliness, we observed that reporting social loneliness was associated with reaching 90 years in women. This indicates that, for women, a large and diverse personal network at an older age could increase the probability of reaching longevity. However, replication of our findings in other cohorts is needed.

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Managing loneliness: a qualitative study of older people’s views

Cited by 37 publications

References 30 publications

The risks of social distancing for older adults: a call to balance

The risks of social distancing for older adults: a call to balance

Connecting at Local Level: Exploring Opportunities for Future Design of Technology to Support Social Connections in Age-friendly Communities

Loneliness in Later Life and Reaching Longevity: Findings From the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam

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