Social Support Networks and Loneliness Among Elderly Jews in Russia and Ukraine

Iecovich, Esther; Barasch, Miriam; Mirsky, Julia; Kaufman, Roni; Avgar, Amos; Kol-Fogelson, Aliza

doi:10.1111/j.1741-3737.2004.00022.x

Cited by 44 publications

(43 citation statements)

References 47 publications

(53 reference statements)

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“…14 The importance of friends has also been highlighted in other studies. 42, 51 Victor et al 25 found that education and age, but particularly the latter, also played a protective role; however these findings have generally not been supported in other research. 14,17 Having a pet (eg, dog, cat) has been suggested as protective of loneliness among older people, however empirical evidence is limited and findings equivocal.…”

Section: Community Settingsmentioning

confidence: 72%

Social isolation and loneliness among older people: issues and future challenges in community and residential settings

Grenade¹,

Boldy²

2008

Aust. Health Review

276

241

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Although often associated with older age, loneliness and social isolation are not well understood in terms of their prevalence, risk and protective factors. Evidence suggests that only a minority of community-dwelling older people are "severely" lonely or isolated, however a number of factors need to be considered to fully understand the extent and significance of the problem. Community-based studies have identified a variety of risk factors for loneliness/isolation including widowhood, no (surviving) children, living alone, deteriorating health, and life events (eg, loss and bereavement). Having a confidant has been identified as a protective factor for loneliness. However, evidence is often unclear or inconclusive, especially within residential settings. We identified the need to conduct more residential care-focused research; the importance of addressing a variety of methodological concerns; and the need for practitioners to develop intervention programs that are appropriately targeted, evidence-based and

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Section: Community Settingsmentioning

confidence: 72%

Social isolation and loneliness among older people: issues and future challenges in community and residential settings

Grenade¹,

Boldy²

2008

Aust. Health Review

276

241

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…It appears that in countries with generous social security schemes, where per capita public expenditure on health and welfare services is among the highest in Europe, people enjoy better social and psychological well-being than in countries where the state provides less. In many of the former socialist countries, formal support structures are largely absent (Iecovich et al 2004). Hence, older people in Eastern Europe may be particularly prone to loneliness because of inequalities in health, social integration, and socioeconomic resources, which in turn may be driven by macro-level socioeconomic inequalities and different levels of welfare provision.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Late-Life Loneliness in 11 European Countries: Results from the Generations and Gender Survey

2015

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This study explores country differences in late-life loneliness in Europe among men and women and establishes the role of micro-level differences in socioeconomic status, health, and social variables in these patterns. We use cross-sectional, nationally representative data from the Generations and Gender Survey. The analysis comprises 33,832 Europeans aged 60-80 from 11 countries. A six-item short version of the de JongGierveld Scale is used to measure loneliness, yet we employ a different method of calculating loneliness scores than in prior work. Findings show considerable between-country heterogeneity in late-life loneliness, especially among women. The rate of a quite severe level of loneliness is 30-55 % among men and women in Eastern Europe, compared with 10-20 % among their peers in Western and Northern Europe. Loneliness is strongly associated with lower socioeconomic status, poorer health, and not having a partner. More than half of the country variance in loneliness is mediated by health, partnership status, and socioeconomic disparities across countries. Differences in societal wealth and welfare and cultural norms may account for some of the unexplained country variance in loneliness.

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“…In this paper, relying on the life course framework (Bengtson, Elder, & Putney, 2005;Elder, 1977Elder, , 1983Elder, Johnson, & Crosnoe, 2003) and the task-specific model of care provision (Iecovich et al, 2004), using qualitative methods we examine the preferences older individuals have from whom they would prefer to receive support in five different domains: meal preparation, personal care, transportation, financial support and personal support. The setting is a rural district in Northeast Thailand.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

From whom do older persons prefer support? The case of rural Thailand

Rittirong

Prasartkul

Rindfuss

2014

Journal of Aging Studies

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This study explores rural elderly preferences for support across a multi-dimensional measure of elderly care needs. Applying a framework developed in the U.S. to Thailand for the first time, five diverse types of support are considered: meal preparation, personal care, transportation, financial support, and emotional support. The emphasis is on preferences for care and not actual care received. The data are from focus group discussions conducted in seven villages in Nang Rong district, northeastern Thailand. Thailand and the study site represent the social and economic conditions faced by many rapidly industrializing places-where there has been a dramatic demographic transition (lowered fertility and substantial out-migration), growing numbers of older persons remaining in rural settings, and limited publically-financed elderly care or market-based elder care available for purchase. For this study, in each village, male and female older persons aged 60 and over participated in the focus group discussions. As part of the discussion, focus group participants were asked to rank their first four preferences by type of support. Male and female older persons' preferences were slightly different for genderized tasks. In addition, social closeness and geographical proximity mattered. Traditional matrilocal residence patterns contributed to the perceptions of the older persons. Neighbors were preferred when kin were not available. Preferences inform strategic choices by older persons given the context of available resources. Understanding preferences and strategic choices among the older persons can help policy makers tailor programs more effectively and efficiently, without jeopardizing elderly well-being.

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Social Support Networks and Loneliness Among Elderly Jews in Russia and Ukraine

Cited by 44 publications

References 47 publications

Social isolation and loneliness among older people: issues and future challenges in community and residential settings

Social isolation and loneliness among older people: issues and future challenges in community and residential settings

Late-Life Loneliness in 11 European Countries: Results from the Generations and Gender Survey

From whom do older persons prefer support? The case of rural Thailand

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