WHAT THIS MEANS FOR YOU: Interviews were conducted with 38 older adults in rural villages and AL communities in the Netherlands to compare the effect of social frailty, measured by access to social resources and activities that fulfill social needs. Social frailty is the actual or potential loss of social resources and activities over time, leading to loneliness and isolation. Older adults who live independently in their own communities experienced self-reported loneliness, while those living in AL communities reported higher participation in social activities. Therefore, for some older adults, a residential setting may be preferable to aging in place to address loneliness and social frailty.
Ageing & Society
Interactions, Relationships and Belonging: Comparing Social Connectedness and Perceived Isolation among Older Women Living Alone in Private Homes and in Assisted Living
Interactions, Relationships and Belonging: Comparing Social Connectedness and Perceived Isolation among Older Women Living Alone in Private Homes and in Assisted Living
Age-related changes shape social connectedness, isolation and loneliness among older adults. Ageing often accompanies decisions about ageing in place or moving (i.e. senior living facility). Scant research compares these two living arrangements and even sparser research focuses on older women. This study, thus, poses the following questions: How do older women (aged 75+ years) experience […]
Engagement with life among the oldest-old in assisted living facilities: enriching activities and developmental adaptation to physical loss
Engagement with life among the oldest-old in assisted living facilities: enriching activities and developmental adaptation to physical loss
The objective of this study was to examine the activities, motivations, and barriers of activity engagement in the oldest-old residing in assisted living facilities (ALFs). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 participants, aged 80–94 (standard deviation = 4.38), from two ALFs. Thematic analyses were used to identify and corroborate clusters of experiences. All residents stated […]