Lonely old age and senile asthenia

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The purpose of the work. To study the prevalence of loneliness in elderly and senile people, its relationship with the severity of senile asthenia and depression.Materials and methods of research. A survey of 95 patients was conducted: 27 (28.4%) men and 68 (71.6%) women, aged from 60 to 96 years, median age 73 years. Among the respondents, 33 (34.7%) people live in the Tver Gerontological Center, 28 (29.5%) of respondents live alone in their apartments, and another 34 (35.8%) of respondents live with their spouse and/or children. To clarify the severity of loneliness, all the subjects underwent a questionnaire on the UCLA scale (University of California, Los Angeles) [1]. The scale "Age is not a hindrance" was used to assess the presence and severity of senile asthenia. The senile depression scale [2] assessed the presence and degree of depression.The results of the study. 38 (40.0%) respondents scored 0-19 points on the loneliness scale, 55 (57.9%) people scored 20-39 points, and 2 more people scored 40 and 47 points. Those with a low level of loneliness were designated as group 1 (n=38), and those with an average level as group 2 (n=55).; The groups were similar in age and gender. In group 1, 20 (52.6%) respondents lived in the gerontology center, and in group 2, 12 (21.8%; pχ2<0.05). In the 1st group, 13 (34.2%) respondents lived in a family, and in the 2nd - 21 (38.2%; pχ2>0.05). In group 1, 5 (13.2%) respondents lived alone, and in group 2, 22 (40.0%; pχ2<0.05) people. In the gerontological center, the average level of loneliness was demonstrated by 13 (39.4%) respondents, the average score on the loneliness scale was 15.5±0.87 points, 21 (61.8%) people living in families, the average score on the loneliness scale was 21.8±0.55 points, and 23 (82.1%) respondents living alone, the average The score on the loneliness scale was 26.1±0.38 points (all p<0.05). 12 (31.6%) people in group 1 and 29 (52.7%) reported health problems.%; pχ2<0.05) – in the 2nd group, while in the 1st group there were 9 people with disabilities of group I, and in the 2nd group there were 7 people with disabilities of group I, and 3 people each with groups II and III disabilities: a more pronounced feeling of loneliness is associated with a lower self-assessment of health. In group 1, the average score on the senile asthenia scale was 3.3±0.06 points, and in group 2 – 3.7±0.05 points (p<0.05). In group 1, 12 (31.6%) respondents showed no signs of senile asthenia, 18 (47.4%) people showed signs of preasthenia gravis, and 8 (21.1%) respondents showed possible senile asthenia. In the 2nd group, similar indicators were found in 18 (32,7%), 22 (40,0%) and 15 (27.3%; all pχ2>0.05). In group 1, the average score on the depression scale was 4.9±0.05 points, and in group 2 - 5.1±0.05 points (p>0.05).Conclusion. More than half of the surveyed elderly and senile people experience moderate loneliness. Loneliness is associated with living alone, health problems, and is less pronounced when living with a family or a gerontology center. With an increase in the severity of loneliness, there is an increase in indicators on the senile asthenia scale.

About the authors

Irina Yurievna Kolesnikova

Tver State Medical University

Email: sno-tgma@yandex.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0003-3600-3249

Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor, Head of the Department of Polyclinic Therapy of the Tver State Medical University of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation

Russian Federation, 4 Sovetskaya street, 170100, Tver, Russian Federation

Alena Romanovna Sokolova

Tver State Medical University

Email: sokolowa.alenasokolowa2016@yandex.ru
ORCID iD: 0009-0003-5962-3069
SPIN-code: 9981-4677

6th year student of the Medical Faculty

Russian Federation, 4 Sovetskaya street, 170100, Tver, Russian Federation

Anna Sergeevna Sineva

Tver State Medical University

Author for correspondence.
Email: anna.sinjova@mail.ru
ORCID iD: 0009-0009-0815-7129

6th year student of the Medical Faculty

Russian Federation, 4 Sovetskaya street, 170100, Tver, Russian Federation

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