Social Support among Elderly in Institutions: Towards Healthy Aging (Sokongan Sosial dalam Kalangan Warga Emas di Institusi: Ke Arah Penuaan Sihat)

Nabisah Ibrahim

doi:10.32890/jps2020.23.8

Abstract

This paper aims to discuss the importance of social support in developing healthy aging among elderly in institutions. It covers a discussion on the factors that are required to define the availability of social support for the elderly and what kinds of support systems needed in order to maintain healthy aging. Realizing about the limitation of support system available for elderly in institutions, this paper also includes the discussion on factors that inhibits social support among this marginal group and provides strategies and intervention on how to enhance the availability of social support for this population.

Highlights

We all aspire to a healthy old age
Even though the results showed only partial mediating effect, the researchers concluded that social support available to elderly population could reduce the negative effect of loneliness on depression
The researchers concluded that the high quality of life of these elderly was a positive indication of their psychological well-being and that social support in the form of emotion and information, and depression were two factors that significantly related to their good life quality (Ibrahim et al, 2013)

Summary

Introduction

We all aspire to a healthy old age This goal has been portrayed through an increased number of researches with older population to promote healthy aging (Price & Sanford, 2012; Tohit et al, 2012; Masotti, Fick, Johnson-Masotti & Macleod, 2006). Researchers have come out with different steps that individuals especially elderly can take to achieve and maintain healthy aging. Even though all the aforementioned steps are necessary for elderly to maintain healthy aging, social support and social networking has been found to provide greater effect on the life of elderly as compared to other age categories in the stages of human development (Wilby, 2011). It is important to understand how social support could promote healthy aging, especially among elderly in institutions

Objectives

Findings

Conclusion