Understanding loneliness at older ages: Insight from a Swedish study on summer camps for older adults

• Loneliness is seen as a risk factor for decreased physical and mental health. Swedish studies have shown that every ten older adults experience severe anxiety and 15 percent are often bothered by loneliness. According to Swedish law all older adults should have an active and meaningful life in community with others. Thus, loneliness among older people has become an important concern in Sweden. Within municipalities various projects are taking place to decrease loneliness among older adults, but these projects are often poorly evaluated. Therefore, knowledge of interventions to decrease loneliness among older adults is essential. From a larger phenomenological inspired study based on interviews with 19 older adults (4 men and 15 women) who had been attending a summer camp, this presentation will bring attention to the reason that these older adults were applying for this experience. Thus, the aim in this part of the study was to explore why they were feeling lonely and considered themselves in need of attending a summer camp and also how they experience loneliness. Often, anxiety and illness are associated with loneliness, but our analysis showed a complex picture of why the interviewees were feeling lonely. Furthermore their experience of loneliness was due not only to an absence of other people to socialize with, but also with the quality of the relationship. This study makes an important contribution in understanding loneliness at older ages and identifies factors that might lead to loneliness among older adults.

Ämnesord

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Sociologi -- Socialt arbete (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Sociology -- Social Work (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Social Work

Socialt arbete

Publikations- och innehållstyp

vet (ämneskategori)

kon (ämneskategori)