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Abstract

Loneliness is a complex concept that involves both psychological and social aspects. This article explores loneliness and the impact it can have on older people. It considers the challenges facing nurses and other healthcare professionals in helping older people to deal with loneliness.

Key words

Loneliness

Depression

These key words are based on the subject headings from the British Nursing Index. This article has been subject to double-blind review.

It is often assumed that many older people are lonely, but this assumption needs to be explored by nurses so that they are able to recognise loneliness, understand its implications and accept that it does not necessarily accompany old age (Donaldson and Watson 1996). Nurses must pay attention to older people's feelings of loneliness because recognising and reducing these feelings could increase quality of life (Ekwall et al. 2005).

Definitions of loneliness

Loneliness has been described as a condition with distressing, depressing, dehumanising, detached feelings that a person endures when there is a gaping emptiness in his or her life due to an unfulfilled social and/or emotional life (Killeen 1998). It is a universal phenomenon that is complex and multi-dimensional (Ekwall et al. 2005) but remains somewhat difficult to define. Some definitions within the literature are somewhat detached and methodical, whereas others appear to show that the authors have themselves experienced the pain of loneliness and have 'lived to tell the tale' (Killeen 1998). Rokach (1990) defines loneliness as a natural and integral part of being human, as are joy, hunger and self-actualisation. The work of Peplau and Perlman (1982) suggests a more objective and clinical stance where loneliness is viewed as the psychological state that results from discrepancies between one's desired and one's actual relationships.

Measurement of loneliness

It could be argued that loneliness is far more prevalent in today's society than it was in previous generations. One of the inherent problems in measuring loneliness, however, is the reluctance of individuals to admit to it (Wenger 1983). It remains a taboo subject, and it is almost an embarrassment to admit that one is or ever has been lonely (Killeen 1998). Forbes (1996) concurs with this, and says that loneliness remains negatively stereotyped.

Thus, significant problems arise in researching loneliness in older people due...

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