This study's objective was to investigate the mediating role of depression in the relationship between loneliness and older adults' quality of life. Promoting the quality of life in individuals is one of the main issues that is consistently emphasized by the World Health Organization. The importance of this issue doubles, especially in older ages. Many elders face new challenges in this period self-reported measures of loneliness, depressive symptoms, and quality of life. The researchers used Structural equation modeling (SEM) to analyze data. Older adults people who had a higher sense of loneliness and depression reported lower quality of life. The results also showed that depression had a partial mediator role in the relationship between loneliness and life quality. With the expansion of previous studies that showed a significant relationship between loneliness, depression, and quality of life, this study revealed that loneliness in the older adults directly and indirectly (through the incidence of depressive symptoms) lowered the quality of life.
(Edited publisher abstract)
This study's objective was to investigate the mediating role of depression in the relationship between loneliness and older adults' quality of life. Promoting the quality of life in individuals is one of the main issues that is consistently emphasized by the World Health Organization. The importance of this issue doubles, especially in older ages. Many elders face new challenges in this period and do not have access to their supportive resources as correctly as the past. Service providers for older people usually concentrate on providing physical facilities for them; however, psychological factors, with the same proportion, might affect the promotion or subsidence of older adults' quality of life. Two hundred and sixty-three participants (M = 68.99 years, SD = 7; 43% females) completed self-reported measures of loneliness, depressive symptoms, and quality of life. The researchers used Structural equation modeling (SEM) to analyze data. Older adults people who had a higher sense of loneliness and depression reported lower quality of life. The results also showed that depression had a partial mediator role in the relationship between loneliness and life quality. With the expansion of previous studies that showed a significant relationship between loneliness, depression, and quality of life, this study revealed that loneliness in the older adults directly and indirectly (through the incidence of depressive symptoms) lowered the quality of life.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
loneliness, quality of life, depression, older people;
International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 36(1), 2021, pp.76-85.
Publisher:
Wiley
Objectives: The number of older adults is rapidly rising globally. Loneliness is a common problem that can deteriorate health. The aims of this work were to identify different types of loneliness (transient and chronic) and to assess their association with depression over time. Methods: A nationally representative sample from the Spanish population comprising 1190 individuals aged 50+ years a multilevel mixed‐effects model was used to examine the association between loneliness and depression. Results: Almost a quarter of individuals felt lonely and one out of 10 presented depression at baseline. Of the sample, 22.78% showed transient loneliness, while 6.72% presented the chronic type. People experiencing chronic loneliness were at a higher risk of presenting major depression (OR = 6.11; 95% CI = 2.62, 14.22) than those presenting transient loneliness (OR = 2.22; 95% CI = 1.19, 4.14). This association varied over time and was stronger at the first follow‐up than at the second one. Conclusions: Focusing on loneliness prevention could reduce the risk of depression. Chronic loneliness is a public health problem that should be addressed through the full participation of the political,
(Edited publisher abstract)
Objectives: The number of older adults is rapidly rising globally. Loneliness is a common problem that can deteriorate health. The aims of this work were to identify different types of loneliness (transient and chronic) and to assess their association with depression over time. Methods: A nationally representative sample from the Spanish population comprising 1190 individuals aged 50+ years was interviewed on three evaluations over a 7‐year period. The UCLA Loneliness Scale was used to measure loneliness. While chronic loneliness was defined as the presence of loneliness across all three waves, transient loneliness expressed the presence of loneliness in one wave only. A 12‐month major depressive episode was assessed at each interview. After confirming the cross‐sectional relationship, a multilevel mixed‐effects model was used to examine the association between loneliness and depression. Results: Almost a quarter of individuals felt lonely and one out of 10 presented depression at baseline. Of the sample, 22.78% showed transient loneliness, while 6.72% presented the chronic type. People experiencing chronic loneliness were at a higher risk of presenting major depression (OR = 6.11; 95% CI = 2.62, 14.22) than those presenting transient loneliness (OR = 2.22; 95% CI = 1.19, 4.14). This association varied over time and was stronger at the first follow‐up than at the second one. Conclusions: Focusing on loneliness prevention could reduce the risk of depression. Chronic loneliness is a public health problem that should be addressed through the full participation of the political, social, and medical sectors.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
older people, social isolation, loneliness, depression;
British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy
Loneliness has been identified as a significant cause of depression and ill-health. In this article a counsellor and psychotherapist who has worked with depression and loneliness discusses possible approaches for clients experiencing loneliness and depression. The article outlines the use of groupwork and sculpting (a groupwork technique in which clients re-enact particular moments
Loneliness has been identified as a significant cause of depression and ill-health. In this article a counsellor and psychotherapist who has worked with depression and loneliness discusses possible approaches for clients experiencing loneliness and depression. The article outlines the use of groupwork and sculpting (a groupwork technique in which clients re-enact particular moments in their history with the help of other group members). The author describes and reports on sculpting workshops, including brief case examples to illustrate their effectiveness.
Background: ‘Wish to Die’ (WTD) involves thoughts of or wishes for one’s own death or that one would be better off dead. Objective: To examine the prevalence, longitudinal course and mortality-risk of WTD in community-dwelling older people. Design: Observational study with 6-year follow-up. Setting: The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing, a nationally representative cohort of older adults. Subjects: In total, 8,174 community-dwelling adults aged ≥50 years. Methods: To define WTD, participants were asked: ‘In the last month, have you felt that you would rather be dead?’ Depressive symptoms were measured using the CES-D. Mortality data were compiled by linking administrative death records to individual-level survey data from the study. Results: At Wave 1, 3.5% of participants (279/8,174) reported WTD. Both persistent loneliness (OR 5.73 (95% CI 3.41–9.64)) and depressive symptoms (OR 6.12 (95% CI 4.33–8.67)) were independently associated with WTD. Of participants who first reported WTD at Wave 1 or 2, 72% did not report WTD when reassessed after 2 years, and the prevalence of depressive symptoms (−44%) and loneliness (−19%) was more likely to decline in this group at follow-up. Fifteen per cent of participants expressing WTD at Wave 1 died during a 6-year follow-up. Conclusions: WTD amongst community-dwelling older people is frequently transient and is strongly linked with the course of depressive symptoms and loneliness. An enhanced focus on improving access to mental health care and addressing social isolation in older people should therefore be a public health priority, particularly in the current context of the Covid-19 pandemic.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Background: ‘Wish to Die’ (WTD) involves thoughts of or wishes for one’s own death or that one would be better off dead. Objective: To examine the prevalence, longitudinal course and mortality-risk of WTD in community-dwelling older people. Design: Observational study with 6-year follow-up. Setting: The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing, a nationally representative cohort of older adults. Subjects: In total, 8,174 community-dwelling adults aged ≥50 years. Methods: To define WTD, participants were asked: ‘In the last month, have you felt that you would rather be dead?’ Depressive symptoms were measured using the CES-D. Mortality data were compiled by linking administrative death records to individual-level survey data from the study. Results: At Wave 1, 3.5% of participants (279/8,174) reported WTD. Both persistent loneliness (OR 5.73 (95% CI 3.41–9.64)) and depressive symptoms (OR 6.12 (95% CI 4.33–8.67)) were independently associated with WTD. Of participants who first reported WTD at Wave 1 or 2, 72% did not report WTD when reassessed after 2 years, and the prevalence of depressive symptoms (−44%) and loneliness (−19%) was more likely to decline in this group at follow-up. Fifteen per cent of participants expressing WTD at Wave 1 died during a 6-year follow-up. Conclusions: WTD amongst community-dwelling older people is frequently transient and is strongly linked with the course of depressive symptoms and loneliness. An enhanced focus on improving access to mental health care and addressing social isolation in older people should therefore be a public health priority, particularly in the current context of the Covid-19 pandemic.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
older people, depression, loneliness, death, social isolation;
Summarises findings of large, long-term study investigating the link between loneliness and depression in people aged 50 or older. The research team analysed data on 4,211 people included in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA). They were all aged 50 and above. Two-thirds (2785 or 66%) were unemployed or retired. The study reveals that the higher the loneliness score, the more severe the symptoms of depression. The researchers found that: each one-point increase on the loneliness scale was linked with a 16% increase in average depressive symptom severity score; loneliness was linked to nearly one in five (18%) cases of depression one year later; the effect of loneliness decreased with time but was still associated with one in ten (11%) cases after 12 years; depressive symptoms increased over time among people with greater loneliness scores, indicating that loneliness was causing future depression. The researchers had taken account of depression and loneliness at the start of the study. This reduces the possibility that depression was leading to loneliness. They concluded that it was the other way round, and that loneliness was increasing the risk of depression.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Summarises findings of large, long-term study investigating the link between loneliness and depression in people aged 50 or older. The research team analysed data on 4,211 people included in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA). They were all aged 50 and above. Two-thirds (2785 or 66%) were unemployed or retired. The study reveals that the higher the loneliness score, the more severe the symptoms of depression. The researchers found that: each one-point increase on the loneliness scale was linked with a 16% increase in average depressive symptom severity score; loneliness was linked to nearly one in five (18%) cases of depression one year later; the effect of loneliness decreased with time but was still associated with one in ten (11%) cases after 12 years; depressive symptoms increased over time among people with greater loneliness scores, indicating that loneliness was causing future depression. The researchers had taken account of depression and loneliness at the start of the study. This reduces the possibility that depression was leading to loneliness. They concluded that it was the other way round, and that loneliness was increasing the risk of depression.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
loneliness, social isolation, depression, mental health problems, older people;
Aging and Mental Health, 25(6), 2021, pp.1029-1034.
Publisher:
Taylor and Francis
Objectives: To estimate the association of social disconnectedness and perceived social isolation with the risk of falls and also investigate whether depression mediated this association. Method: Biennial longitudinal survey data from 2006 to 2012 waves of the U.S. Health and Retirement Study of adults aged 65 and older (N = 22,153 observations) were examined. The outcome variable was number
(Edited publisher abstract)
Objectives: To estimate the association of social disconnectedness and perceived social isolation with the risk of falls and also investigate whether depression mediated this association. Method: Biennial longitudinal survey data from 2006 to 2012 waves of the U.S. Health and Retirement Study of adults aged 65 and older (N = 22,153 observations) were examined. The outcome variable was number of self-reported falls over the observation period. Independent variables included social isolation (social disconnectedness, perceived social isolation) and number of depressive symptoms. Generalized Estimating Equation regressions were performed to address the research questions. Results: Regression models indicated that social disconnectedness is associated with a 5% increase in the risk of falls. Perceived social isolation (lack of perceived social support and loneliness combined) was associated with a 33% increase in falls risk. For each increase in the number of depressive symptoms, the risk of falls increased by 13%. Also, the number of depressive symptoms mediated the association between perceived social isolation and risk of falls. Conclusion: Our findings were suggestive of the need to consider social isolation when designing falls prevention programs. More research is needed with research designs that address potential endogeneity bias.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
social isolation, loneliness, mental health, falls, depression;
International Psychogeriatrics, 32(1), 2020, pp.53-63.
Publisher:
Cambridge Journals
Objective: Loneliness and social isolation have negative health consequences and are associated with depression. Personality characteristics are important when studying persons at risk for loneliness and social isolation. The objective of this study was to clarify the association between personality factors, loneliness and social network, taking into account diagnosis of depression, partner status and gender. Design: Cross-sectional data of an ongoing prospective cohort study, the Netherlands Study of Depression in Older Persons (NESDO), were used. Setting and participants: 474 participants were recruited from mental health care institutions and general practitioners in five different regions in the Netherlands. Measurements: NEO-Five Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI) personality factors and loneliness and social network were measured as well as possible confounders. Multinominal logistic regression analyses were performed to analyse the associations between NEO-FFI factors and loneliness and social network. Interaction terms were investigated for depression, partner status and gender. Results: Higher neuroticism and lower extraversion in women and lower agreeableness in both men and women were associated with loneliness but not with social network size irrespective of the presence of depression. In the non-depressed group only, lower openness was associated with loneliness. Interaction terms with partner status were not significant. Conclusions: Personality factors are associated with loneliness especially in women. In men lower agreeableness contributes to higher loneliness.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Objective: Loneliness and social isolation have negative health consequences and are associated with depression. Personality characteristics are important when studying persons at risk for loneliness and social isolation. The objective of this study was to clarify the association between personality factors, loneliness and social network, taking into account diagnosis of depression, partner status and gender. Design: Cross-sectional data of an ongoing prospective cohort study, the Netherlands Study of Depression in Older Persons (NESDO), were used. Setting and participants: 474 participants were recruited from mental health care institutions and general practitioners in five different regions in the Netherlands. Measurements: NEO-Five Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI) personality factors and loneliness and social network were measured as well as possible confounders. Multinominal logistic regression analyses were performed to analyse the associations between NEO-FFI factors and loneliness and social network. Interaction terms were investigated for depression, partner status and gender. Results: Higher neuroticism and lower extraversion in women and lower agreeableness in both men and women were associated with loneliness but not with social network size irrespective of the presence of depression. In the non-depressed group only, lower openness was associated with loneliness. Interaction terms with partner status were not significant. Conclusions: Personality factors are associated with loneliness especially in women. In men lower agreeableness contributes to higher loneliness. In non-depressed men and women, lower openness is associated with loneliness. Personality factors are not associated with social network size.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
personality, loneliness, older people, social networks, depression;
... on health. Depression and cardiovascular health were the most often researched outcomes, followed by well-being. Gaps in the evidence base were identified in both the use of health and social care by older people and on interventions to reduce loneliness and isolation. A lack of consistency in the definitions and measures of isolation and loneliness was also found, which limits the ability to compare
(Edited publisher abstract)
Summarises the findings of a scoping review which looked at literature on the impact of social isolation and loneliness on physical health, mental health and wellbeing in old age. Searches were conducted on nine databases, retrieving 11,736 articles, of which 128 were included in the scoping review. Almost all the studies reviewed found that isolation and loneliness has a detrimental effect on health. Depression and cardiovascular health were the most often researched outcomes, followed by well-being. Gaps in the evidence base were identified in both the use of health and social care by older people and on interventions to reduce loneliness and isolation. A lack of consistency in the definitions and measures of isolation and loneliness was also found, which limits the ability to compare findings between studies.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
social isolation, loneliness, older people, health, depression;
Objective: Previous studies have shown that mental health among older people who live with animals could be improved, but contrary results exist as well. This study compared the self-rated depression symptoms of both female and male non-pet owners, cat owners, and dog owners.
Method: Participants included 12,093 people between the ages of 65 and 101 in Norway. One thousand and eighty three participants owned cats and 814 participants owned dogs. Self-rated depression symptoms were measured using HADS-D, the scale of self-administered depression symptoms in HADS (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale).
Results: The main results showed higher mean values on the HADS-D for cat owners than for both dog and non-pet owners. The latter group rated their depression symptoms the lowest. When dividing the ratings into low- and high-depression symptoms, the logistic regression analysis showed that it was more likely that males who owned cats perceived lower depression symptoms than females who owned cats. No interactions were recognised between pet ownership and subjective general health status, loneliness, or marital status.
Conclusions: Results provide a window into the differences in health factors
(Edited publisher abstract)
Objective: Previous studies have shown that mental health among older people who live with animals could be improved, but contrary results exist as well. This study compared the self-rated depression symptoms of both female and male non-pet owners, cat owners, and dog owners.
Method: Participants included 12,093 people between the ages of 65 and 101 in Norway. One thousand and eighty three participants owned cats and 814 participants owned dogs. Self-rated depression symptoms were measured using HADS-D, the scale of self-administered depression symptoms in HADS (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale).
Results: The main results showed higher mean values on the HADS-D for cat owners than for both dog and non-pet owners. The latter group rated their depression symptoms the lowest. When dividing the ratings into low- and high-depression symptoms, the logistic regression analysis showed that it was more likely that males who owned cats perceived lower depression symptoms than females who owned cats. No interactions were recognised between pet ownership and subjective general health status, loneliness, or marital status.
Conclusions: Results provide a window into the differences in health factors between older females and males who own cats and dogs in rural areas. Results from population studies like ours might increase the available knowledge base when using cats and dogs in clinical environments such as nursing homes.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Health and Social Care in the Community, 20(1), January 2012, pp.32-41.
Publisher:
Wiley
... evaluation of QOL. The findings show that the QOL of older people living alone at home is similar to the QOL of the older adults living with others. Two specific dimensions of QOL were worse in older people living alone: ‘social relationships and participation’ and ‘home and neighbourhood’. Amongst the 107 subjects living alone, depression, having no caregiver, and having never been married were
Living alone has been associated with a number of concerns regarding both physical and psychological health. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the living conditions of community-dwelling older people and their quality of life (QOL) considered in all its specific domains. Specifically, the purpose of this study was to determine: which dimensions of QOL were independently associated with living alone; and the independent correlates of these dimensions of QOL amongst older outpatients. A cross-sectional survey was conducted of 239 community-dwelling outpatients aged 65 years and over consecutively referred to a geriatric medicine clinic in Italy between June and November 2009. The participants underwent a comprehensive geriatric assessment, which included evaluation of QOL. The findings show that the QOL of older people living alone at home is similar to the QOL of the older adults living with others. Two specific dimensions of QOL were worse in older people living alone: ‘social relationships and participation’ and ‘home and neighbourhood’. Amongst the 107 subjects living alone, depression, having no caregiver, and having never been married were characteristics independently associated with a poor QOL.
Subject terms:
loneliness, older people, quality of life, social networks, depression;