Loneliness among older people living in long-term care settings in a metropolitan city in Aotearoa New Zealand

Abstract
Loneliness is associated with reduced social networks, depression, physical disability and functional dependence, and perceived health and wellbeing. This study sought to identify correlations between these factors and loneliness in long-term care facilities in Aotearoa New Zealand. The study used a correlational research design. A convenience sample of 36 older people from four longterm care facilities in a metropolitan city participated in the study. Data were collected using the Barthel Index to assess functional independence; the EQ-5D-5L and EQ-VAS to determine perceived health and wellbeing; the Geriatric Depression Scale-15 to identify depression; and the 6-item De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale to measure levels of loneliness. The mean age of participants was 81 years and 58% were female. Logistic regression predicted loneliness was almost twice as likely to occur in older people with low perceived health (OR = 1.78, p = .04) and was more than twice as likely to occur in those with fewer social networks (OR = 2.53, p = .03). Those with fewer social networks were three times more likely to experience social loneliness (OR = 3.18, p < .001). The sample size for this study was small and a larger study might help identify other factors associated with loneliness. Loneliness was present among some older people living in participating long-term care settings and was associated with lower levels of perceived health and fewer social networks. Nurses working in these settings need to consider and assess loneliness when developing care plans for older people under their care.

Ngā ariā matua
Ka haere tahi te mokemoke me te ngoikoretanga whatunga hapori, te pāpōuri, te ngoikoretanga ā-tinana me te kaha-kore, me te hauora, toiora hoki, ki te titiro a te tangata. I whai tēnei rangahau kia tautohutia ngā hononga i waenga i ēnei pūtake me te mokemoke i ngā nohonga taurima wā-roa i Aotearoa. I whakamahia tētahi hoahoatanga rangahau hononga tahitanga. I whai wāhi tētahi rōpū ngāwari, 36 te hunga kaumātua tonu, mai i ētahi whare taurimatanga wā roa, i tētahi tāone nui, ki te rangahau nei. I kohia he raraunga mā te ara Barthel Index hei aromatawai i te pakaritanga mahi motuhake; i te EQ-5D-5L me te EQ-VAS hei tautohu i te hauora me te toiora, ki te titiro a te tangata; te Āwhata-15 Pāpōuritanga Kaumāuta hei tautuhi i te pāpōuritanga; me te Āwhata Mokemoke 6-tuemi De Jong Gierveld hei ine i ngā taumata o te mokemoke. Ko te pakeke toharite o te hunga whai wāhi mai, 81 tau, ā, 58% o rātou he wahine. Tata ki te rua whakareanga ake te tūponotanga o te mokemoke matapae mā ngā uara o ngā taurangi rōpū e rua, mō te hanga kaumātua he ngoikore te hauora, ki te titiro a te tangata (OR = 1.78, p = .04) ā, neke atu i te rua whakareanga ake i ērā he ruarua iho ngā whatunga hapori (OR = 2.53, p = .03). Ko ērā he iti iho ngā whatunga hapori, e toru kē whakareanga ake o te mokemoke hapori mō rātou (OR = 3.18, p < .001). He iti te rōpū i tirohia mō tēnei rangahau, ā, mā tētahi rangahau rahi kē atu pea ka kitea ētahi atu pūtake o tēnei mea te mokemoke. I noho mai te mokemoke i waenga i ētahi tāngata kaumātua kē atu e noho ana i ngā horopaki taurimatanga wā-roa whai wāhi, ā, i kitea i waenga i te hunga he ngoikore ngā taumata hauora, he iti iho hoki ngā whatunga hapori. Me āta whakaaro ngā tapuhi mahi i ēnei horopaki mō te mokemoketanga ina whakawhanake mahere taurimatanga mō te hunga e tiakina ana e rātou.

Keywords / Ngā kupu matua
depression / te pāpōuri; loneliness / te mokemoke; long-term care / taurimatanga wā-roa; older adults / ngā pakeke taikaumātua; residential care / ngā kāinga noho manaaki tangata