The Significance of Social Connections and Health in Relation to Loneliness Experienced by Older Adults Living at Home: A Qualitative Study.
Anna Axén, Line Christiansen, Elin Taube and 2 others
PMID 40551561WHAT IT FOUND
Some older adults said being alone felt pleasant when daily routines let them pursue solitary activities.
Others felt lonely when meaningful connections were lost or relationships felt unequal. Staying active was important, but physical and cognitive limits made this harder.
Key findings
01Participants described being alone as pleasant and self-chosen when routines let them do solitary activities.
02Participants described meaningful connections with family, friends and neighbours as preventing loneliness, but losses and reduced connections as making it worse.
03Participants described staying active and healthy as important, but physical limitations and reduced cognition as barriers.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The sample was small and came from one Swedish municipality, so the themes may not fit older adults in other places. Eight potential participants declined because the topic was not of interest or they had a lack of energy, so the sample may miss people with those experiences. The people interviewed were described as relatively healthy and active, so it says little about older adults who are less healthy or less active. Participants were given a description of loneliness before interviews, which may have shaped their answers. Loneliness was identified by a single question, which may not capture the complexity of feeling lonely. The ethical approval did not allow returning the analysis to participants for feedback, so participants did not confirm the findings.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read these themes as proof that routines, social contact or activity prevent loneliness. They are experiences reported by 16 older adults in one Swedish municipality, and the study did not test whether any intervention reduced loneliness.