Lonely People Research Articles

Jayadeva’s Gita Govinda: a poem about the agony and separation of Lord Krishna and his beloved Radha

Love is not merely an emotion but a potent feeling everyone desires to experience. When someone falls in love, they lose control over their feelings. Some individuals love selflessly, even without any hope for reciprocation. We all wait for someone who makes us feel unique and adds extraordinary value to our lives. However, love also demands sacrifices; sometimes, our love becomes the reason for someone's pain. In love, one should not be selfish and should not expect reciprocation from the other person. Love is unconditional and knows no bounds. "If someone does not love you, you do not have to convince them to love you back. True love comes naturally when you truly care for someone. Only when someone who loves you disappears from your life do you realise their importance? In contemporary times, everyone desires to be loved and to love in return. We are all lonely people who crave love and care. No one can love someone like Radha loved Lord Krishna. “Their love is everlasting and serves as an example of true love for future generations. Their love, respect, and care for each other cannot be matched. This paper will analyse the theme of love by examining the story of Lord Krishna and his beloved Radha and their love and sacrifice for each other."

FEELING ALONE TOGETHER: LONELINESS IN OLDER ADULTS WITH COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT AND THEIR CAREGIVERS WITH LOW MASTERY

Abstract Loneliness can be contagious because lonely people tend to share their loneliness with others. According to this perspective, loneliness in older persons with cognitive impairment (PCI) may beget loneliness in their family caregivers. However, not all caregivers of lonely PCI experience loneliness. This may be because caregivers have buffering resources that mitigate the contagion of loneliness. Nevertheless, empirical evidence on whether and how PCI and caregiver loneliness are related is lacking. Therefore, we examined the association between PCI loneliness and caregiver loneliness, and the moderation role of caregiver mastery on this association. We used dyadic data from 135 PCI and their family caregivers in Singapore. Descriptive statistics and bivariate correlation showed that PCI reported higher levels of loneliness than their caregivers, and PCI and caregiver loneliness were weakly related. Multivariable regression showed that PCI loneliness was not associated with caregiver loneliness, taking other covariates into account. Nevertheless, we found that the interaction between PCI loneliness and caregiver sense of mastery was significant, such that PCI loneliness was significantly associated with caregiver loneliness when caregivers had low mastery. In conclusion, lonely PCI may share their loneliness with their caregivers, and this may lead to caregiver loneliness if caregivers have low mastery. Tailored interventions should be designed to reduce loneliness among PCI and their caregivers and improve caregiver mastery as a protective factor against the spread of loneliness between PCI and caregivers.

P67: Digital Technologies to Prevent Social Isolation and Loneliness in Dementia: A Systematic Review

Background:Dementia poses significant and sustained challenges to global society. Diagnosis can lead to increased feelings of loneliness and social isolation. People with dementia living alone are particularly at risk. Considering the growing number of technologies proposed to aid people with dementia address social isolation and loneliness, we reviewed the existing literature.Objective:To collate and summarize current evidence for digital technologies to prevent social isolation and loneliness for people with dementia.Methods:Following the PRISMA guidelines, we systematically searched five databases to identify studies of digital technologies designed to support or prevent social isolation or loneliness for people with dementia. Pre-specified outcomes included social isolation, loneliness, and quality of life. We used deductive thematic analysis to synthesize the major themes emerging from the studies.Results:Ten studies met our inclusion criteria where all studies reported improvements in quality of life and seven reported benefits regarding social inclusion or a reduction in loneliness. Technologies were varied across purpose, delivery format, theoretical models, and levels of personalization. Two studies clearly described the involvement of people with dementia in the study design and five technologies were available outside the research context.Conclusion:There is limited—but increasing—evidence that technologies hold potential to improve quality of life and reduce isolation/loneliness for people with dementia. Results presented are largely based in small-scale research studies. Involvement of people with dementia was limited and few research concepts are reaching implementation. Closer collaboration with people with dementia to provide affordable, inclusive, and person-centered solutions is urgently required.

Health and wellbeing outcomes associated with loneliness for people with disability: a scoping review

BackgroundLoneliness is a significant public health concern due to its detrimental impact on health and wellbeing. Despite people with disability reporting higher levels of loneliness than the general population, there has been little research into how this is affecting their health and wellbeing. In light of this, the aim of our study was to scope both the existing evidence about the health and wellbeing outcomes associated with loneliness for people with disability, as well as the conceptual frameworks and measures utilised in this field of research.MethodsTo conduct this scoping review, we followed the methodology outlined by JBI and searched MEDLINE, Scopus, Informit, Embase, and Web of Science for peer-reviewed, English-language articles published between 1 January 2000 and 8 February 2023. Two independent reviewers completed screening, full-text review and data extraction, with consensus sought at each stage. Data were analysed using content analysis and presented both numerically and narratively.ResultsOut of the initial 1602 publications identified in the scoping review, only nine were included after duplicate removal, title and abstract screening, and full-text review. This limited number of studies, with the earliest study one published in 2015, represents a key finding. Eight of the nine studies were quantitative, and all were conducted in high income countries. Most of these studies utilised a version of the University of Los Angles Loneliness Scale to measure loneliness and addressed specific impairment groups. Notably, most of the studies identified associations between loneliness and health and wellbeing outcomes for people with disability.ConclusionsThis scoping review highlights the current scarcity of studies examining the effect that loneliness has on the health and wellbeing outcomes of people with disability. As most of the reviewed studies relied on loneliness measures designed for individuals without disability, they potentially overlook the unique life experiences of people with disability. Given that loneliness is an international public health concern, it is imperative that people with disability are not left behind or overlooked in efforts to address the impact of loneliness on health and wellbeing.

Loneliness Is Associated With Problematic Internet Use but Not With the Frequency of Substance Use: A Czech Cross-Sectional Study.

Objectives: This study aimed to assess the associations between loneliness and the frequency of substance use and problematic Internet use (PIU) in different age groups. Methods: Data were collected in April 2021 from a sample of 1,293 participants with main characteristics close to a nationally representative sample (mean age = 50.1 ± 15.4years; 56% male). We measured loneliness with the Three-Item Loneliness Scale (TILS), PIU with the General Problematic Internet Use Scale-2 (GPIUS-2) and the frequency of drugs, alcohol, smoking or caffeine consumption. Spearman's correlation, the t-test, and one-way and multivariate linear regression models were used to analyze the data. Results: In our study, 43.8% of respondents reported moderate to severe levels of loneliness. Loneliness was associated with the severity of PIU [F (3, 1,277) = 15.25, p < 0.001], with higher loneliness corresponding to higher PIU. No significant relationship was found between loneliness and drugs, alcohol, smoking or caffeine consumption. Conclusion: Regardless of age, loneliness is associated with PIU but not with the frequency of substance use. Professional help for lonely people should focus on problematic Internet use in all age groups.

28 Cognitive, Emotional, and Interactional Determinants in Loneliness, in a Heterogeneous Sample of Puerto Ricans with ABI in the Chronic Phase

Objective:An acquired brain injury (ABI) is a neurological pathology that generates a physical injury in the brain. These include cerebrovascular accidents (CVA) and traumatic brain injuries (TBI). Brain injuries can cause cognitive, emotional, and social problems, which have the potential to severely alter a person’s independence and quality of life. Loneliness, thesubjective experience of social isolation, has been shown to be the best predictor of mental health problems and poorquality of life in patients with ABI. This study aimed to explore the relationship between cognitive, emotional, and social determinants and loneliness in Puerto Ricans with ABI in the chronic phase.Participants and Methods:Cross-sectional, exploratory, and correlational methods were implemented. Assessments included the Frontal Systems Behavioral Scale - Spanish version (FrSBe-SP), Perth Emotional Reactivity Scale -Spanish version (PERS), Anticipated Stigma and Concealment (ASC), and the University of California Los Angeles - Loneliness Scale (UCLA-LS).Results:A total of seventeen participated (n=17). Twenty-nine percent of participants were female. Forty-seven percent had history of previous CVA and fifty-two percent had history of TBI. Correlational analyses suggest a positive and significant relationship between executive dysfunction (FrSBe-SP) and feelings of loneliness (UCLA-LS) (p=.601), as well as a positive and significant relationship between neuroticism-negative emotional reactivity (PERS) and feelings of loneliness (UCLA-LS) (p=.736). Correlational analysis suggests there is no significant relationship between anticipated stigma (ASC) and feelings of loneliness (UCLA-LS) (p=.282).Conclusions:Our findings suggest that there is a significant relationship between cognitive determinants (executive functions) and emotional determinants (neuroticism) with feelings of loneliness in people with a history of ABI. These results support the connection between executive dysfunction, the tendency to experience negative emotions, and the subjective experience of loneliness, consistent with previous studies. However, our study did not find any significant relationship between interactional determinants, such as stigma and concealment, and loneliness. Understanding the role of cognition, emotions, and social variables in reported feelings of loneliness is important for clinical neuropsychological assessment and rehabilitation interventions.

Psychological adaptation of a person experiencing loneliness to the conditions of studying at a university

The experience of loneliness is one of the most important problems of society, which has existed for many years. The feeling of loneliness experienced by students of pedagogical training fields can negatively affect the success of mastering educational material, adaptation to a new social status, as well as negatively affect the development of the teaching profession image. It is most relevant to investigate the problem of experiencing loneliness in people who, by the nature of their professional activity, are involved in constant interaction with other members of society. The aim of our research is to study the psychological characteristics of the adaptation of a person experiencing loneliness to the study conditions at a university. It is one of the urgent problems caused by the influence of the success or failure of the adaptation process on the development of students attitudes to study, as well as to future professional pedagogical activity. The study was conducted on the basis of the Southern Federal University. The total number of respondents who took part in the study was 290 first-year students of pedagogical specialties of full-time education. The following methods were used in the study: "Methodology for diagnosing socio-psychological adaptation" by K. Rogers and R. Diamond, "Diagnosis of experiencing loneliness" by E.E. Rogovoy, methods of mathematical data processing Correlation criterion r-Spearman. As a result of the study, data were obtained indicating that there is a statistically proven relationship between the loneliness experienced by a person and the characteristics of adaptation to the study conditions at a university. The results of the study will make it possible to determine the features of individual work with students of pedagogical areas with different levels of loneliness and to develop an individual program for the adaptation of students, depending on the loneliness actually experienced by the individual, especially in the 1st year of study.

The relationship between weight self-stigma, depression and loneliness in people with obesity.

The research was conducted to determine the level of weight self-stigma, depression loneliness and whether is there a relationship between them. This was a descriptive correlational study. The study was conducted in a diet outpatient clinic of a university hospital. Participants had moderate weight self-stigma, depression and loneliness. Weight self-stigma sub-dimensions self-devaluation (β=0.28; p<0.001) and fear of enacted stigma (β=0.28; p<0.001) equally predicted depression. Fear of enacted stigma predicted social loneliness negatively (β=-.44; p<0.001). Fear of enacted stigma (β =.16, p<.005) and depression (β =.44, p<.001) predicted emotional loneliness positively. Weight self-stigma was positively correlated with depression and loneliness (p<0.001).

In-home adaptation of elderly people living alone

The article discusses the features of the life of elderly citizens, including those living alone, after the retirement from active work. Some socio-psychological problems of elderly people, such as a monotonous lifestyle, limited connections with the outside world, lack of impressions, shortage of living space, and limited employment opportunities, are emphasized. Various options for the adaptation of elderly people living alone are considered. In particular, the author presents the project “Live healthily!”, which is aimed at solving the issue of adapting lonely people of retirement age, improving their emotional background, and increasing digital literacy.

Together yet apart: Rethinking creativity and relational dementia care during the Covid-19 pandemic

Culture Box was a creative project that responded to deprivation and distress experienced by those with dementia in care homes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Remote and digital creative activities were designed and delivered as ‘Culture Boxes’ to care homes, aiming to alleviate social isolation and loneliness for people with dementia. Eighty-eight people with dementia and 33 care staff from 33 care homes across England were recruited to the study, with 68 people with dementia and 28 staff completing the study 12 months later. Participatory Action Research combining mixed methods was used to evaluate the project. Baseline and follow-up surveys and dialogic interviews at 3 time points during the study collected quantitative and qualitative data and were analysed descriptively and via inductive thematic analysis respectively. Qualitative findings indicated that the project activities facilitated relational care through creative experiences characterised by sharing, building relationships, and developing a sense of community. Social health was promoted via participation in social activities and fostering independence. Future studies should further explore the utility of creative practices to develop relational care, to support care staff, and to maximise wellbeing benefits for those living with dementia.

The impact of therapeutic group therapy on the life purpose of elderly people suffering from loneliness

The elderly face a variety of psychological issues, including loneliness, as they reach the end of their human development stage. Some external stimuli are required to overcome loneliness because it affects the life goals of the elderly, which differ from those of younger people. Therapeutic group therapy (TGT) is one of the stimuli provided, and it trains the elderly to adapt to changes in their lives, including their life goals. A quasi-experimental study was used to evaluate the effect of therapeutic group therapy on the sense of purpose in life among lonely elderly people. Following the assessment of loneliness, 86 elderly people experiencing loneliness were recruited for this study and divided into two groups. The intervention group received health education on the development of the elderly as well as therapeutic group therapy. Only health education was provided to the control group. When compared to the control group, the elderly who experienced loneliness in the intervention group had a higher score on purpose of life.

Nostalgia restores meaning in life for lonely people.

Lonely individuals lack meaning in life. We hypothesized that nostalgia, a bittersweet emotion that entails reflecting sentimentally on the past, helps restore meaning for lonely people. In two studies, we measured trait loneliness, measured state nostalgia (Study 1) or experimentally induced nostalgia (Study 2), and assessed meaning. Results supported the hypothesis: The relation between loneliness and meaning deficits was reduced among nostalgic individuals and this was driven by the fact that nostalgia (whether measured or experimentally induced) was linked with greater meaning for highly lonely individuals. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

The importance of the university of the third age to improved mental health and healthy aging of community-dwelling older adults

ABSTRACT The aim of this uncontrolled interventional study was to determine the effect of a yearly educational course within the University of the Third Age on quality of life, life satisfaction, sense of coherence, self-esteem, anxiety, depression, attitudes toward old age, and older people’s perception of social support. The population included 121 community-dwelling older people who had completed a yearly educational course within the University of the Third Age (three educational modules: 1. Cardiovascular Diseases, 2. Mental Health, and 3. Neurological Diseases; 16 lectures and two practical lessons for each module). Psychosocial factors were evaluated using the following tools: the Older People’s Quality of Life questionnaire (OPQOL_brief), the Life Satisfaction Index for the Third Age – Short Form (LSITA-SF), the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15), the Geriatric Anxiety Inventory (GAI), the Attitudes to Aging Questionnaire (AAQ), the Sense of Coherence scale (SOC-13), the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), and social support. After completing the yearly educational cycle, older people who had had lower scores for individual parameters at the beginning of the study were found to have a statistically significant improvement (p < .001) in anxiety, depression, quality of life, sense of coherence, life satisfaction, attitudes toward old age and aging, and perceptions of social support. To promote healthy aging, education at universities of the third age is recommended for lonely older people and older people with symptomatology of anxiety and depression.

Understanding Acceptability of Group Leisure Activities Used to Address Loneliness Among People Living With Dementia: An Exploratory Mixed-Methods Study.

This mixed-methods complementarity study explored family members', friends', and health care providers' perspectives of acceptability of group leisure activities as an intervention for loneliness experienced by older adults living with dementia. A sample of 25 family members, friends, and health care providers of people living with dementia in ON rated the acceptability of group leisure activities (adapted Treatment Perception and Preference questionnaire) and discussed their ratings in an interview. Quantitative (descriptive statistics) and qualitative (conventional content analysis) results were integrated to understand acceptability. Participants viewed group leisure activities as effective, logical, and suitable for use with people living with dementia. Participants described the need for flexible programs, careful facilitation, and attention to activity selection. Group leisure activities were seen as low risk, but stigmas related to dementia could prevent participation. The findings inform the design of acceptable group leisure activities, promoting their use to address loneliness in people living with dementia.

National Prevalence of Social Isolation and Loneliness in Adults with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Rationale: Social isolation and loneliness are gaining recognition for their role in health outcomes, yet they have not been defined in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Objective: To determine the national prevalence of and characteristics associated with social isolation and loneliness in people with COPD. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study of community-dwelling adults aged ⩾50 years in the nationally representative HRS (Health and Retirement Study) (2016-2018). Participants self-reported COPD and supplemental oxygen use and were categorized into three groups: 1) no COPD; 2) COPD; and 3) COPD on oxygen. Social isolation was defined using a nine-item scale indicating minimal household contacts, social network interaction, and community engagement. Loneliness was measured using the 3-Item UCLA Loneliness Scale. Multivariable logistic regression defined prevalence and associated characteristics for both. Results: Participants (n = 10,384) were on average 68 years old (standard deviation, ±10.5), 54% female, 10% Black, 11% self-reported COPD, and 2% self-reported supplemental oxygen. Overall, 12% were socially isolated, 12% lonely, and 3% both socially isolated and lonely. People with COPD had a higher adjusted prevalence of social isolation (no COPD: 11%; COPD: 16%; COPD on oxygen: 20%; P < 0.05) and loneliness (no COPD: 11%; COPD: 18%; COPD on oxygen: 22%; P < 0.001). In those with COPD, characteristics associated with social isolation (P < 0.05) included sex (men: 22%; women: 13%), non-Hispanic White ethnicity (White: 19%; Black: 7%), low net worth (<$6,000: 32%; $81,001-$239,000: 10%), depression (depression: 24%; no depression: 14%), having difficulty with one or more activities of daily living (one or more difficulty: 22%; no difficulty: 14%), and current cigarette use (current: 24%; never: 13%). Characteristics associated with loneliness (P < 0.05) included younger age (50-64 yr: 22%; 75-84 yr: 12%), being single (single: 32%; married: 12%), depression (depression: 36%; no depression: 13%), having difficulty with one or more activities of daily living (one or more difficulty: 29%; no difficulty: 15%), diabetes (diabetes: 26%; no diabetes: 17%), and heart disease (heart disease 23%; no heart disease: 17%). Conclusions: Nearly one in six adults with COPD experience social isolation, and one in five experience loneliness, with almost twice the prevalence among those on supplemental oxygen compared with the general population. Demographic and clinical characteristics identify those at highest risk to guide clinical and policy interventions.

Życie singla – świadomy wybór czy maska samotności?

Loneliness is one of the most serious problems facing humanity at the beginning of the 21st century. The dynamic development of civilization and the instrumentalization of life have caused millions of people around the world to suffer from loneliness. Today, it is even believed that it is a disease of civilization, and „sufferers” of this disease are called „singles”. This term, above all, gave lonely people a chance to get out of the crisis caused by ridicule. Singles are usually portrayed as those who do not so much want to live alone by choice as their negative personality traits, consumerist attitude to life and sexual promiscuity mean that they cannot find a permanent partner. This media image is far from the real life of a single person. Not every single person is egotistical and irresponsible egocentric. Not everyone wants to live alone, because it is more comfortable, easier and more pleasant. It is worth adding that each single has its own story. Everyone bases their life choices on their own, often difficult and painful experiences. Very often this is a man whose life simply turned out in such a way that he failed to build a relationship with another person for various reasons and would give a lot to change it. Maybe there is some trauma, shyness, depression or other serious mental problem behind it, which makes it very difficult to open up to another person, and the currently fashionable „single state” is a kind of mask for the surrounding world. Key words: loneliness, loneliness by choice, loneliness by necessity, single, singleness

Osoba samotna w pomocy społecznej

The aim of the article is to present and explain the problem of a single person in the social welfare system. The statutory definition of a single person indicates that there must be three conditions in total: living alone, not being married and not having ascendants or descendants to be considered a single person. In the article, I analyze whether the state and the local community are obliged to help single people. I answer the question whether the policy implemented for the needs of the community of lonely people can make them not feel this loneliness? I present various forms of assistance provided by organizational units of social assistance to single people so that they do not feel isolated or excluded. Key words: lonely person, law, assistance, social welfare

An exploration of loneliness experienced by people living with mental illness and the impact on their recovery journey: An integrative review.

INTRODUCTION: To our knowledge, there are no previous reviews on the impact of loneliness experienced by people aged 18-65, who are living with mental illness and their recovery experience. To explore the experience and impact of loneliness in people living with mental illness during recovery. An integrative review. A total of 17 papers met the inclusion criteria. The search was conducted using four electronic databases: MEDLINE, CINAHL, Scopus and PsycINFO. Across these 17 papers, participants were most commonly, diagnosed with schizophrenia or psychotic disorders and recruited from community mental health services. The review revealed loneliness to be substantial in people living with mental illness and that loneliness affected their recovery, and their quality of life. The review identified many factors that contribute to loneliness including unemployment, financial strain, social deprivation, group housing, internalized stigma and mental illness symptoms. Individual factors such as social/community integration and social network size as well as an inability to trust, a sense of not belonging, hopelessness and lack of romance were also evident. Interventions targeting social functioning skills and social connectedness were found to improve social isolation and loneliness. It is vital for mental health nursing practice to employ an approach integrating physical health as well as social recovery needs, optimal service delivery and augmentation of evidence-based clinical practice to improve loneliness, recovery, and quality of life.

The impact of loneliness on quality of life in people with Parkinson's disease: results from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe.

Loneliness is a growing issue for public health in an aging society. However, there is a lack of research on loneliness in people with Parkinson's disease (PwPD). We analyzed cross-sectional and longitudinal data from wave 5 (N = 559 PwPD) and 6 (N = 442 PwPD) from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). Loneliness was assessed using the three-item version of the Revised UCLA Loneliness Scale. Descriptive statistics, group comparisons, multiple linear regressions, and generalized estimating equation analysis were performed to explore loneliness prevalence, its relationship with other factors, and its impact on Quality of Life (QoL) in PwPD. Depending on the used cut-off, the prevalence of loneliness in PwPD ranged from 24.1 to 53.8%. These prevalences were higher compared to people without PD. Loneliness was mainly linked to decreased functional abilities, weaker grip strength, more symptoms of depression, and country of residence. Loneliness was also associated with current QoL and predicts future QoL in PwPD, highlighting its impact on well-being. Addressing loneliness could potentially improve QoL for PwPD, making it a modifiable risk factor that clinicians and policy-makers should consider.

Implementing Active Assisted Living Technology in the Long-term Care of People Living With Dementia to Address Loneliness: European Survey.

In the lives of people with dementia, loneliness is an important issue with psychological and physical consequences. Active assisted living (AAL) technology has been gaining visibility in the care of persons living with dementia, including addressing loneliness. However, to the best of our knowledge, there is a lack of evidence concerning the factors influencing the implementation of AAL technology within the context of dementia, loneliness, and long-term care (LTC). We aimed to identify the familiarity with AAL technology that is promising for addressing loneliness in persons living with dementia in LTC in Europe and the factors influencing AAL technology implementation. A web-based survey was developed based on findings from our previous literature review. The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research guided the development and analysis of the survey. Participants included 24 representatives of Alzheimer Europe member associations from 15 European countries. The data were analyzed using basic statistical methods (descriptive statistics). The baby seal robot Paro was reported to be the most familiar AAL technology by 19 of 24 participants addressing loneliness in people with dementia living in LTC. Participants from Norway (n=2) reported familiarity with 14 AAL technologies, and participants from Serbia (n=1) reported zero familiarity. It seems that countries that invest less in LTC facilities are familiar with fewer AAL technologies. At the same time, these countries report a more positive attitude toward AAL technology, express a higher need for it, and see more advantages than disadvantages than those countries that invest more in LTC. However, a country's investment in LTC facilities does not seem to be linked to other implementation aspects such as costs, planning, and the impact of infrastructure. Implementation of AAL technology to address loneliness in dementia seems to be linked to familiarity with the technology in a country as well as national investment in LTC facilities. This survey confirms the literature on higher investment countries' critical stance in regard to AAL technology implementation to address loneliness in persons living with dementia living in LTC. Further research is needed to clarify the potential reasons why familiarity with more AAL technology does not seem to be directly linked with acceptance, positive attitude, or satisfaction with AAL technology addressing loneliness in persons living with dementia.