6.2 Discussion of the findings
The main purpose of this thesis was to explore how elderly people experience the effect of loneliness on daily activities and the ways of its alleviation. Presented findings showed relatively high correlation with previous studies in this field (McInnis & White 2001, 133-134; Pettigrew & Roberts 2008, 304-306; Savikko 2008, 42; Selmo 2008, 25-26; Hauge & Kirkevold 2009). Furthermore, this research supported McInnis and
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White’s (2001, 134) findings about increased perception of loneliness during the certain day time or season.
Loneliness was mainly connected to being alone and living alone, as both positive and negative meaning. Positively, the participants enjoyed the time spent alone for relaxation or activities of interest, like reading or watching television. In negative point of view, being alone was equal to being isolated from others, having no company for desired activities. Unlike in other studies (Pettigrew & Roberts 2008, 304; Hauge & Kirkevold 2009), loneliness was not seen so critically and surprisingly, personality as a cause of loneliness was mentioned by “lonely” participants themselves.
Even though the majority of the participants claimed not to feel lonely, as they were participating in different rehabilitation groups, during the interviews, it was found that service users are more susceptible to suffer from loneliness than the resident group. The social life of service users was, due to the health problems, mostly dependent on care provider’s availability which limited the amount and choice of activities and made this group more socially isolated. This topic was especially connected to winter time, when there was little possibility to meet other people, also among those participants who did not call themselves lonely. Therefore, contradictory with McInnis and White’s (2001, 133-134) or Pettigrew and Roberts’s (2008, 305) studies, presence of the senior centre and other people of the same age played an important role in social life and loneliness alleviation of these participants.
6.2 Discussion of the findings
The main purpose of this thesis was to explore how elderly people experience the effect of loneliness on daily activities and the ways of its alleviation. Presented findings showed relatively high correlation with previous studies in this field (McInnis & White 2001, 133-134; Pettigrew & Roberts 2008, 304-306; Savikko 2008, 42; Selmo 2008, 25-26; Hauge & Kirkevold 2009). Furthermore, this research supported McInnis and
27
White’s (2001, 134) findings about increased perception of loneliness during the certain day time or season.
Loneliness was mainly connected to being alone and living alone, as both positive and negative meaning. Positively, the participants enjoyed the time spent alone for relaxation or activities of interest, like reading or watching television. In negative point of view, being alone was equal to being isolated from others, having no company for desired activities. Unlike in other studies (Pettigrew & Roberts 2008, 304; Hauge & Kirkevold 2009), loneliness was not seen so critically and surprisingly, personality as a cause of loneliness was mentioned by “lonely” participants themselves.
Even though the majority of the participants claimed not to feel lonely, as they were participating in different rehabilitation groups, during the interviews, it was found that service users are more susceptible to suffer from loneliness than the resident group. The social life of service users was, due to the health problems, mostly dependent on care provider’s availability which limited the amount and choice of activities and made this group more socially isolated. This topic was especially connected to winter time, when there was little possibility to meet other people, also among those participants who did not call themselves lonely. Therefore, contradictory with McInnis and White’s (2001, 133-134) or Pettigrew and Roberts’s (2008, 305) studies, presence of the senior centre and other people of the same age played an important role in social life and loneliness alleviation of these participants.
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