The influence of living arrangement on the level of loneliness among the elderly

Abstract

According to the state of world population 2019 report by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), India’s population in 2019 stood at 1.36 million and 6% of the population was of the age 65 and above. Lack of evidence on the impact of living arrangement on loneliness necessitates this study. The current study focuses on the influence of living arrangement on the level of loneliness among the elderly. The UCLA Loneliness Version 3 scale was administered on 2 different groups of the elderly i.e the elderly living with their family which includes their children, grandchildren or other extended members and those residing at old age homes which are either private or government owned. 64 individuals participated in the current study; 34 of them who live with their family and 30 of them living at old age homes. Results indicate that the level of loneliness is higher among the group living at old age homes compared to those living at home. Family acceptance, health care provisions and societal acceptance can bring about a positive change. However, there is no significant difference in the level of loneliness among gender i.e. male and females.