Loneliness in Older Life - Coursework Example

Older people are increasingly becoming more prone to experiencing loneliness within the community due to several factors which include age discrimination, stereotyping, poor engagement with and participation of older people, social exclusion, isolation, and poverty (Welsh Assembly Government, 2003). Loneliness can occur especially when individuals reach retirement age, and are no longer participating in activities that came as second nature to them. In addition to this, older people can face exclusion especially if they live in rural areas where accessibility is low. If they are not in rural areas, then there is the threat of becoming a crime victim in the cities. Community and day centres have been set up by the government through local councils however there are concerns as to whether these centres are doing enough to reduce the problems experienced by older people. For example, older people that have retired will be expected to maintain their income levels, and their activity levels and to reduce their dependency on others (Welsh Assembly Government, 2003). However, this is not always simple to achieve as those that have retired will find it difficult to maintain an income, especially if their savings and pension payments are not adequate to sustain them. Active lifestyles may not always be possible, as some older people become immobile during their later years or may end up relocating to rural areas, with a basic transport network. Even then, older people are frequently targets of violent crime which further restricts their mobility.

Greater London Authority (2006) reported that an increasing number of older people are living alone which introduces new challenges in the provision of community and day centers, as they have to consider the risks of isolation and devise solutions to reduce isolation in the community. It is reported that up to 75% of older people in the London area live alone, which is more than that of England and Wales combined; and that white older people are more likely to live alone than black or Asian older people (Greater London Authority, 2006). This highlights the importance and significance of nuclear family structures in reducing isolation in the community, and some may say that day and community centres need to emulate such structures if they are to alleviate this problem. Isolation is a particularly serious problem for older people as in most cases it can lead to the onset of mental health problems such as depression and suicidal tendencies (Findlay and Cartwright, 2002). Whilst services and facilities do exist to treat these effects of isolation in older people, the processes for identifying these symptoms become more difficult especially when some older people do not or are not engaged in the community and day centers. The effects of isolation are also difficult to identify because the onset is gradual and not sudden as with other illnesses. Situations that cause the onset include the death of a close family member or partner, the loss of their role in society through the relocation of their immediate family members, fear of crime, or even cultural isolation (Greater London Authority, 2006).

This means that day and community centres have to focus on reducing the risks associated with isolation, by identifying the needs of older people in the community.  It may be that the needs have been identified, but are not being delivered in a way that benefits the older people.

Older people in the community are increasingly becoming prone to isolation and loneliness, and in addition to this there are also concerns that the community and day centres that have been set up are not meeting their needs. According to CHAI (2006), older people do not feel that they have been involved or even consulted in the planning and shaping of services that relate to their well-being. This somewhat highlights the importance of including the service user when developing policies that are likely to affect them.  One can only assume that older people wish for inclusion as they will be able to make their needs and requirements known. The CHAI report (2006) also stated that approximately 95% of older people had not been asked for their views of the National Health Service (NHS) or council services, which further highlights the extent of exclusion and discrimination against older people. It seems fairly common to have surveys and research carried out for various services; however these seem to ignore the fact that older people are service users too, and so their views need to be attained. This literature review shall now proceed to provide more background on the issue of loneliness and isolation in the community.