The Elderly who Live Alone Their Mental Health and Social Relationships

Abstract

In a community survey of the elderly in Hobart, persons who lived alone were compared to those who lived with others. Those who lived alone were more often widows and had had more education. They had markedly fewer close relationships but as much other social interaction. They reported that their personal networks were as adequate as other elderly persons, yet they experienced much more loneliness. They had no higher a prevalence of depressive disorders or dementia on DSM-III criteria, but they did have a higher frequency of neurotic depression and some depressive symptoms, of which loneliness was one. Contrary to what might intuitively be expected, the elderly who live alone may not be a group at increased risk for formal psychiatric morbidity. Instead, they may have a moderate excess of dysphoric symptoms.