Relationship of Feelings of Loneliness and Depressive Symptoms in Old Age:A Study of Older Adults Living with Family and Living Alone

Depression and loneliness are the two crucial feelings in everyone's life; affecting the mental as well as physical health of an individual. Though individual of every age is affected and susceptible to the loneliness feelings and depressive symptoms, the existence of the two in old age is much more dangerous for the older adults. The present study aims to investigate the relationship of feelings of loneliness and depression in the late years of life. A total of 320 participants (age range from 60 to 85 years) were drawn randomly from Delhi, India. The sample consisted of 160 aged persons who were living with their families and 160 aged who were living alone. The prevalence of depression and loneliness was assessed using BDI (1996) and UCLA loneliness scale (1996) respectively. A significant positive correlation was found between loneliness and depressive feelings among aged population. The relationship was positive among aged persons living with their families while negative among those who were living alone at their late stage of life. When comparing the two groups, aged living with family and aged living alone, it was found that both the groups differed significantly on loneliness and depression.