| |
Centre for Policy on Ageing | |
 | |
|
Understanding and alleviating loneliness in later life
— perspectives of older people | | Author(s) | Mary Pat Sullivan, Christina Rita Victor, Michael Thomas |
| Journal title | Quality in Ageing and Older Adults, vol 17, no 3, 2016 |
| Publisher | Emerald, 2016 |
| Pages | pp 168-178 |
| Source | www.emeraldgrouppublishing.com/qaoa.htm |
| Keywords | Loneliness ; Isolation ; Engagement ; Social interaction ; Qualitative Studies. |
| Annotation | There is extensive empirical literature that has sought to establish the prevalence of, and risk factors for, loneliness and social isolation in later life. Traditional empirical gerontological approaches have characterised loneliness as a linear experience that is both pathological and easily relieved with external intervention. This paper explores the potential of qualitative interview data to reveal the possible complexities in understanding loneliness, including conceptual considerations for the dynamic and multi-dimensional aspects of loneliness. The authors draw on two different studies, where the purpose was to qualitatively examine the meaning of loneliness in the lives of 37 older people and how they understood loneliness in the context of their daily life. (The first study was part of the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Growing Older (GO) Programme.) Interviews with "lonely" older people revealed that loneliness is a complex and dynamic experience. The authors also identified a range of internal and external factors that contribute to vulnerability for loneliness as well as resources to alleviate it. The dynamic and multi-dimensional characteristics of loneliness in older people may help explain why community-based interventions to diminish it may be so challenging. (RH). |
| Accession Number | CPA-170512202 A |
| Classmark | DV: TP: DN: TMA: 3DP |
Data © Centre for Policy on Ageing |
|
| ...from the Ageinfo database published by Centre for Policy on Ageing. |
| |
|