Conclusion
Poor stress management, alcohol use and depressive illness were all manifest among
older people living alone. Given the results of this study, we suggest that service providers
should develop targeted interventions to address this specific complex of interacting
problems. These need to be designed to take account of older people’s social contexts and
lifestyles, and particularly to help elders to manage stress, alcohol use and depression, while
living in rural villages affected by changing social structures and employment patterns.