Consenting participants were then assessed using the Short Mini Mental State Examination (SMMSE). Responses from the SMMSE were scored at that particular time. Only participants with a SMMSE score of less than 11 [21] were included and proceeded with the interview. The interview covered a set of questionnaires consisting the sociodemographic information, the Geriatric Depression Scale [23] to assess depression and the Friendship Scale (FS) to assess loneliness/social isolation .