LONELINESS AMONGST OLDER ADULTS
Mental Health and Loneliness Amongst Older Adults
Introduction Comment by Hp: In APA paper, there is an introduction but it is not titled as introduction
Loneliness has become an issue to worry about, especially among older adults. The problem is expected to grow in the future because of the rising number of older adults. Research shows that loneliness can be reduced using social networks(Aarts, Peek, & Wouters, 2015). Rising cases of the mental related problem, including loneliness, has been attributed to social isolation among older people. Different studies show that loneliness and social isolation can cause other health conditions, including cardiovascular and depression. Generally, older adults' entire well-being is negatively affected by being isolated (Courtin & Knapp, 2017).
Problem Statement
1a) The Problem: The problem to be addressed by this study is the rising cases of mentally unhealthy older adults due to social isolation. Individuals at different age groups face isolation, but there is a surge at the age 0f 60 and above. 50% of people in this age bracket experience social isolation, and as a result,30% of them suffer some level of loneliness. (Fakoya, McCorry, & Donnelly, 2020). Comment by Hp: Second level headings are only flushed left, bold face and title case heading. It does not include numbering.
1b) Support: Rook and Charles conducted literature-based research on the relationship between older citizens and social networks in 2017. The report showed that some older adults benefitted from their current social network, but others faced some degree of conflict. The author explained that the major factor contributing to conflicts is old age. The study also showed that older adults experience broken relationships at different stages of their lives due to lifestyle changes that come with old age. Comment by Hp: Second level heading should be bold face, flush left and title case heading. It does not include numbering.
A social network status that older adults get involved in determines the level of happiness or distress. A good social network should support elderly citizens by connecting emotionally with them but not rebuking old age's strange behaviors. Having a friendly neighborhood also contributes to the well-being of older adults. Safety is a source of concern among elderly citizens, but they can be assured of their safety in a good neighborhood. Social networks can sometimes contribute to loneliness, and this was proved by a study done in the Netherlands where 182 adults aged above 65 years were involved (Kemperman, Berg, Weijs-Perree & Uijtdewillegen, 2019). Comment by Hp: Paragraph should be indented
2a) The Impact: a study on the effects of loneliness shows that long-term health problems may happen due to isolation and can be physical or mental. Adverse isolation outcomes are more visible in older people, and if not appropriately addressed, the conditions tend to shift to life-threatening health problems. Initially, people overlooked the effects of isolation, but health professionals have recorded a surge in metal-related problems resulting from many isolation cases resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. All ages are affected by the loneliness that arises due to isolation, but older citizens are always hit harder (Berg-Weger & Morley, 2020). Comment by Hp: Second level heading should be bold face, flush left and title case heading. It does not include numbering.
Loneliness can be caused by different life dimensions, one being a mismatch between an individual's expectations and social environment. Lack of required social support is another major cause of loneliness, and it is common among older adults (Wu & Zhang, 2011). Other life events may also contribute to the loneliness, but since social...
…included a starting line after the heading. It is quite vague what the heading is about and what the numbered quotations are telling.
2. "researching more on how social isolation, loneliness, and well-being relate to each other is important. A deep understanding of the three will suggest more efficient ways to defeat loneliness and measures to put in place to avoid social isolation. All individuals have a right to feel well." (Wu & Zhang, 2011) Comment by Hp: Sentence starts from capital letters
3. "Different factors contribute to a feeling of isolation including lack of people to interact with, lack of a sense of social belonging, lack of psychological support and financial hardships." (Nicholson, 2008) Comment by Hp: It is also better to use less direct quotations and more paraphrasing since it lets the reader know that you have understood what the author wants to say. An academic paper should contain less than 10% of direct quotes to avoid plagiarism.
Identify who is influenced by the problem Comment by Hp: Second level headings have title case in APA
Human beings face some degree of loneliness in their life, and it starts from childhood. However, the study has shown that the most affected age bracket is older citizens above 60 years. The surge of loneliness at this age bracket results from the social isolation caused by challenges that come with old age. Over half of older citizens over the age of 60 face social isolation and a third of them experience some level of loneliness as a result. Social isolation is usually a result of a drop in quality of life that happens at old age. Some of the factors behind low-quality life include poor health and individual personality, and each aspect can be analyzed independently. Sometimes a combination of factors can happen simultaneously, and the…
