Loneliness Among Older Adults

The assignment delves into the issue of loneliness among older adults. It presents a qualitative research study that aims to understand their experiences and perspectives on loneliness. The research involved interviewing 50 older adults and analyzing their responses to gain insights into the social, psychological, and demographic factors contributing to loneliness in this population. The study highlights the need for increased awareness and interventions to address the pervasive issue of loneliness among older adults.

Running head: RESEARCH PROPOSAL
Loneliness among older adults living in residential care
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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RESEARCH PROPOSAL
Introduction
Residential care homes provide a smaller, more like home family ambience for the
senior citizens. This type of care homes supply food services and support with daily living
but does not have any medical executive in the premises (Falk et al., 2013). Loneliness can be
described as a feeling that is negative in nature or sadness that is caused because of absence
in communication, closeness or relationship with others. However, anyone at any age can be
affected by loneliness but older individuals are especially endangered to feeling lonely. As
people are growing older, they are probable to lose their loved ones and may have to live
alone in their remaining days. Moreover, older people experience more health problems that
restrict them from going out and meeting people. Thus, from these the feeling of loneliness
and isolation are increased. Mainly the condition of social contact makes the difference in
older adults who are lonely and isolated. Retirement, bereavement, loss of friends or
companions, bad health conditions and financial difficulties can be major causes of loneliness
in older adults. However, this research is being further conducted because the mental health
of the older people residing in the residential care needs more attention because of their
increasing loneliness and isolation (Valtorta & Hanratty, 2012).
Aims
The aim of this research is to find out the reason behind loneliness among older adults
who are staying in the residential cares. The loneliness among the individuals will be
measured by doing an in depth study on the various reasons and their side effects on the older
adults causing loneliness by conducting both primary and secondary researches.
Primary question
 How loneliness does affect the old adults who are staying in residential cares?

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Secondary question
 What are the reasons/causes of loneliness in older adults?
 What are the side effects on the older adults due to loneliness?
Literature review
In 2012, Roos & Malan in their research have investigated the experiences of older
people’s loneliness in the surroundings of residential care. However, this research came up
with the outcome that suggests that the real reason behind this loneliness and isolation in old
age is mainly due to loss or absence of meaningful interaction and communication. A huge
gap exists in the research that only the interaction and communication has been emphasized
but apart from this, there are also other factors that need more attention. In another study by
Rodriguez‐Blazquez et al., in 2012 their main objective for the research was to find the main
features that are affecting the health and safety variables among the old adults in the
institutional and non-institutional environment. The findings of this study stated that age has
an influence on the older adults who live in their homes to a huge extend than those who are
residing in the residential care homes. Thus, another gap can also be identified from this
study is their lack of focus on the mental conditions which can also play a vital factor in the
health status of the older people.
Bradshaw, Playford & Riazi, 2012, in their study did a systematic qualitative review
on the life of those who lives under residential care, to supply recommendations on how the
quality of life of the people residing there can be uplifted. The result however suggests that
people staying in residential homes usually lacks independence along with building proper
relationship with others. In this however, four important subjects are identified which are
acceptance and adaptation, connectedness with others, homelike surrounding and caring
implications. Moreover, it further stated that how positive experiences in the residential care

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could arise and are necessary to uplift the quality of life for those residing in the residential
cares. Lastly, Saito, Kai & Takizawa in 2012 in their study analyzed the effect of social
isolation prevention programs on the lonely, depressed and the comfort of the aged. This
study compared 20 of the elderly people in the intervention group and 40 people in the
control group where the result showed that a positive effect has been reflected in the
intervention program. Moreover, the outcome further states that social isolation prevention
programs are actually effective when they are used along with the prevailing resources of the
community that is based on the set of needs of individuals and selected people who can share
alike experiences.
Significance/contribution of the research
This study will help the future researchers to understand the importance of loneliness
for those old adults who are residing in residential cares. This will further enlighten them
with the reasons or causes of loneliness in older adults and the ill effects they have on them.
Mainly it will try to fulfill the gaps that are observed from the other researches on this topic
done earlier.
Theoretical contribution
The readers will be getting a clear knowledge of how the older adults are affected by
loneliness while staying in the residential care. This study will transform the way people
observe things and the way these problems are talked about. Moreover, it will promote
conceptualization of loneliness in older adults and further draw on and contributes in the
scholarly literatures, which inspects the mental health of elderly individuals.
Practical outcomes

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Results of this study can help the in the prevention programs that are designed for
preventing loneliness and isolation in the older adults. It can further help the wellbeing of the
older adults. The psychologist and psychiatrists can pay attention on the more clearly
described and pointed out reasons of this loneliness and their ill effects in the individuals.
Research methodology
 Participants
Total number of participants was 100 older adults out of whom 50 were in the
experimental group and the rest in the control group.
 Methodology
To analyze the quantitative data the numerical digits are changed into percentages so that
then they can be displayed in the different charts, graphs and tables. However, distant from
this, descriptive statistics has also being used to measure the mean, median and mode along
with the standard deviation of the research findings (Bickel & Lehmann, 2012).
On the other hand, to analyze the content of the qualitative data, transcripts of the elderly
adult’s speech has been developed. Moreover, a thematic analysis has also being done so that
the interviews can be properly analyzed.
 Design framework
The basic research designs that are used by researchers are analytical or descriptive,
explanatory and exploratory research designs. The descriptive one makes the researcher to
take a view of the different approaches in a detailed as well as descriptive manner. The next
one, which is the exploratory, design helping the researcher to regulate the primary stages of
the study that is based on the hypothesis made by the researcher. Lastly, the explanatory

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design helps to grow the bond between two variables existing in the research study (Creswell,
2013).
 Data collection methods
The primary data are that information that is collected by conducting the different
questionnaires and interviews. The information is very authentic and supplies a better attitude
towards this study. However, the secondary data are that information that is available
beforehand in any form. This will involve those data that are already there from the previous
surveys or the researches done under this topic. Both the methods have been used while
collecting the data (Best & Kahn, 2016).
 Sampling method
Probability and non-probability sampling techniques have been used so that sampling
method is done (Levy & Lemeshow, 2013). Random sampling technique is being used so that
a better understanding on this topic is gained. However, 50 participates were selected from
the population who were residing in the residential cares and are older adults to be in the
experimental group and another 50 participants were there comprising the control group.
 Ethical considerations
The research has been carried under the guidance of strict ethics and thus, there were no
such actions that can damage the legal proceedings for conducting a research. However, none
of the participants were forced to participate in the research and thus, they were free to call
off their participation at any point as far as their convenience is concerned. Moreover, to
conduct this research all the data’s are only for the sole purpose of academic activities
(Ritchie et al., 2013).

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RESEARCH PROPOSAL
Scope and problems
This research will mainly focus on the loneliness that the older adults who are
residing in the residential care go through. Thus, the scope of this research is to gain more
knowledge regarding the wellbeing of the older adults. The reasons behind their loneliness
and its ill effects are also studies in details so that it can give a clear understanding to the
readers. This may help in changing the stereotypical ways in which people think and talk
about these topics. Lastly, this will also spread the awareness of loneliness in a positive
manner among those who are not aware of this kind of problems in the older adults.
However, there are certain limitations in spite of the different approaches made. The research
has been done only on 50 participants, thus, if the research is conducted among more older
adults then their perspectives towards loneliness would have been achieved in a better way.
There are high chances that some of the participants can give biased answers to the
questioners or in the process of direct face-to-face interview. Lastly, another problem is
shortage of time. Therefore, more time given to this research would have studied the whole
topic in a better way (Shipman, 2014).

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References
Best, J. W., & Kahn, J. V. (2016). Research in education. Pearson Education India.
Bickel, P. J., & Lehmann, E. L. (2012). Descriptive statistics for nonparametric models i.
introduction. In Selected Works of EL Lehmann (pp. 465-471). Springer US.
Bradshaw, S. A., Playford, E. D., & Riazi, A. (2012). Living well in care homes: a systematic
review of qualitative studies. Age and ageing, 41(4), 429-440.
Creswell, J. W. (2013). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods
approaches. Sage publications.
Falk, H., Wijk, H., Persson, L. O., & Falk, K. (2013). A sense of home in residential care.
Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences, 27(4), 999-1009.
Levy, P. S., & Lemeshow, S. (2013). Sampling of populations: methods and applications.
John Wiley & Sons.
Ritchie, J., Lewis, J., Nicholls, C. M., & Ormston, R. (Eds.). (2013). Qualitative research
practice: A guide for social science students and researchers. Sage.
Rodriguez‐Blazquez, C., Forjaz, M. J., Prieto‐Flores, M. E., Rojo‐Perez, F., Fernandez‐
Mayoralas, G., & Martinez‐Martin, P. (2012). Health status and well‐being of older
adults living in the community and in residential care settings: Are differences
influenced by age?. Aging & mental health, 16(7), 884-891.

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Roos, V., & Malan, L. (2012). The role of context and the interpersonal experience of
loneliness among older people in a residential care facility. Global health action, 5(1),
18861.
Saito, T., Kai, I., & Takizawa, A. (2012). Effects of a program to prevent social isolation on
loneliness, depression, and subjective well-being of older adults: a randomized trial
among older migrants in Japan. Archives of gerontology and geriatrics, 55(3), 539-
547.
Shipman, M. D. (2014). The limitations of social research. Routledge.
Valtorta, N., & Hanratty, B. (2012). Loneliness, isolation and the health of older adults: do
we need a new research agenda?. Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, 105(12),
518-522.