The relationship between loneliness and satisfaction with life in older adults under isolation restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to examine the factors affecting life satisfaction and its relationship with loneliness among older adults with home restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Participant Identification Form, which includes sociodemographic and health-related data, the Gierveld Loneliness Scale (GLS) to measure loneliness, and the Contentment with Life Assessment Scale (CLAS) were used for the data, which were collected from 253 individuals aged 65 years and older residing in two provinces in western Turkey between January and April 2021 after obtaining permissions. Loneliness and contentment with life scores of the older adults, most of whom were women and married, were found to be low. Loneliness alone explained 26.6% of contentment with life (p < .05). Linear regression analysis revealed that older age and being married were positive predictors of life satisfaction, while high loneliness level, presence of chronic disease and having COVID-19 infection were negative predictors (p < .05). Gender, employment status, education level, place of residence, and smoking habit were not statistically predictive of contentment with life (p > .05). In line with the findings, it can be recommended to provide support to older adults during periods of restrictions such as pandemics, as well as in normal times, to not disrupt primary health care and nursing care, to develop social support policies to increase life satisfaction and reduce loneliness.

Acknowledgements

The authors thank the participants for their continued engagement.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Ethıcal statement

Required permissions to carry out this study were obtained from the Scientific Research Platform of the Ministry of Health and the Medical Research Ethics Committee of Ege University School of Medicine. Approval number: 21-1T/37.