Assessment Of The Elderly Loneliness: A Qualitative Study

Abstrak

The prevalence of the elderly and its various impacts are experienced by many developing countries, including Asia and Indonesia, where the prevalence of the elderly dominates and has serious consequences. Indonesia has a prevalence of elderly people reaching 11.75% of the total population, and loneliness as one of the impacts experienced by 50% of elderly people creates a risk of dementia which can threaten their lives. In reality, it is not easy for someone to admit the loneliness they are experiencing, so it needs to be studied more deeply. This research aims to identify loneliness in the elderly, whether it impacts their lives, and how the elderly can overcome it. This qualitative research interviewed 10 elderly people about their experiences of loneliness and the elderly's responses to the loneliness they experienced. The results of interviews with participants were analyzed by researchers using the thematic analysis described. Two themes can be concluded from the interview data of ten elderly participants, and each theme has subthemes: 1). The meaning of loneliness in the elderly, and 2). Elderly responses to loneliness experienced. The meaning of loneliness in the elderly has 3 subthemes, while the elderly's response to loneliness has 2 subthemes. Elderly loneliness occurs because they do not have friends and emotional support from those closest to them, such as partners or children, due to feelings of being abandoned and not cared for by other people, especially family members, and because of feelings of worthlessness and low self-esteem. Meanwhile, the response of the elderly to the loneliness they experience is very varied, for the older elderly choose to draw closer and surrender to God, and most of the elderly seek to be busy through various activities to divert their attention from feelings of loneliness, and the worst response that the elderly make when they are lonely is drinking alcohol. Loneliness in the elderly found in this research still needs to be continued with wider coverage and more participants, using mixed methods or quantitative research using elderly loneliness detection tools and intervention as early as possible to prevent situational loneliness from becoming chronic.