According to Kensinger and Gutchess (2017), loneliness can be termed as the subjective sense of the desire that is lacking among the individual with respect to closeness, social interaction and affection with others in the society. It is a social phenomenon but can also be defined by the emotional state of the subjective nature of the individual. It is mostly dependent on the number of relationships that the individuals have rather than the quality of it. Moreover, the isolation that is social in nature is the term that is given to the individuals who lack the contact with their friends and families. They do not get involved within the community, which leads to a lack of services that they cannot access within the society.
McCausland et al. (2014) was of the view that the factor of loneliness can be persistent, recurrent or temporary but the isolation that the elder people in UK receive with respect to the society is a risk within the factor of loneliness. It is a major phenomenon that affects a large number of older people in the United Kingdom. According to Vroman, Arthanat and Lysack (2015), around 37 percent of the people who are above the age of 70 in the UK are of the view that they lack the ability in keeping up with the pace that is happening around the world, as they cannot adapt the new lifestyles that are being followed around in the country. Out of the 37 percent, around 9 percent of the individuals feel that they are lonely within the society and consider that the only form of entertainment that they have is with respect to television viewing.
According to de Jong Gierveld, Keating and Fast (2015), a recent study that was conducted showed that only around 45 percent of the older population spend time with their families and friends on a regular basis as compared with the younger population in the UK region. The feeling of being disconnected and not belonging within the society is a factor of loneliness that may cause an experience that is unpleasant in nature. The loneliness that is persistent in nature may have certain impacts on the mental and physical front of the people, which might create a problem on the quality of their lives. The aged population is more likely to develop Alzheimer’s, as they have a higher degree of loneliness among them.
Clements and Koenig (2014) were of the view that the loneliness among the older population can be quantified in different ways, which can be measured with the instruments that are multi-dimensional in nature along with the measures that are wider in nature with respect to the well-being and the health of the individuals. Orellano-Colon et al. (2015) stated that the survey that was conducted by English Longitudinal Survey of Ageing (ELSA) showed that around 12 percent of the individuals had reported that they are mostly lonely after they reach a certain age, as they feel that they lose their capability of learning the new systems that are being taken up within the society. Palmer, Newsom and Rook (2016) were of the view that using the ELSA Wave 5 self reported measurement of loneliness, they concluded that there are number of factors that lead to loneliness among the aged people in the UK region. The factors that were identified were health and disability, living alone, age and the factor of being widowed. The research that was conducted by them also found that one of the important factors was the health conditions of the people, as people with better health led a proper life.
According to de Jong Gierveld, Keating and fast (2015), the De-Jong Gierveld scale is an instrument that helps in measuring loneliness, which is a cognitive approach and is mainly based on two types of loneliness that is social and emotional in nature. This scale has also been used on a global manner and has been accepted by the United Nations as well so that it can help in measuring the factor of loneliness among the people.
According to Goll et al. (2015), the other instrument that is used in a common manner is known as the UCLA Loneliness Scale, which helps in measuring the level of loneliness among the students who are studying in the college. This version also helps in measuring the degree of loneliness that is prevalent among the older people. The full scale of the UCLA contains around 20 items that help in measuring in an effective manner.
Bonder and Dal Bello-Hass (2017) were of the view that the scale of psychological well-being has been developed by Ryff, which has helped in measuring the six theories that is based on the well being of the individuals from the psychological front consisting of purpose in life and the autonomy. The questionnaire includes more than 120 items and a reduced version had been created, which contains items varying from 18-120. This scale has also been included in the question set that is based on measuring the factor of loneliness among the aged group as well by ELSA.
McGregor et al. (2016) stated that this scale is used commonly in measuring the feeling of the respondents with respect to the level of depression that they are suffering from at the present moment. The original version consists of 20 items and ELSA had adopted that is based on the version containing around 8 items so that it can help in measuring the level of depression of the older people as well.
Chang, McAllister and McCaslin (2015) stated that this scale helps in measuring the quality of life that is present among the older population and mainly consists of control, autonomy, self-realization and pleasure. It does not help in measuring the factor of loneliness but provides the data that is required in measuring the variables that are associated with the factor of loneliness. This method is also included in ELSA, as they can measure the loneliness factor of the aged population.
Swift et al. (2017) was of the view that the Warwick-Edinburg Mental Well-being scale helps in measuring the perspectives that are associated with the well-being of the individuals based on the mental welfare. This is based on the hedonic perspective that is focused on the experiences of satisfaction that they gain in life and the factor of happiness. The other perspective that is eudaimonic in nature focuses on the functions regarding the psychological factor and the relationship that they share with others. These measures are chosen based on the problem and the purpose so that the result can be interpreted and validated in a proper manner.
There are many factors that are related to the factor of loneliness among the aged population such as the gender of the people, as women and men are affected in different manner. It can be seen that most of the older women feel lonelier as compared to the older men living in the society.
According to Murphy, Whelan and Normand (2015), the marital status and the living arrangement of the older people also matter in determining the level of loneliness that is present among the people. From the study that was conducted by ELSA, it was seen that a majority of the aged population who are divorced or separated feel lonely more than often, which has affected their health as well. This factor is one of the major contributors in being excluded from the society and the societal ties as well.
Minocha, McNulty and Evans (2015) stated that another important factor is the geographical location of the aged people where it was seen that in the rural areas, the loneliness level is low with the increase in the population. The people who are lonely may experience loneliness at a higher level in the urban areas that are deprived or in the places where the rate of crime is relatively higher than the other places. The research that was conducted by ELSA showed that they have found that the incidences of people who are old are lonelier in the urban areas when compared to the rural areas, as most of the population is engaged in their own activities. This has made it difficult for the aged population in coping up with the learning of the modern techniques, which makes them restricted in the activities.
According to Wu et al. (2015), loneliness can develop grave impacts on the mental and the physical nature of the people, which may result in the deterioration of the life span among the aged population. It can be seen that the feeling of loneliness may result in the increase of blood pressure along with the risk of contracting cardiovascular diseases, which may increase the level of cortisol and stress as well. Smedley (2017) was of the view that these may result in weakening the immunity system and reduce the quality of sleep among the individuals as well. There are also negative effects that are related to the metabolism of the people, hormonal and neural disorders as well, which increases the risk of vulnerability among the people.
Segal, Qualls and Smyer (2018) stated that loneliness that is self-perceived increases the risk of developing the Alzheimer’s disease, as it leads to the reduction in the cognitive function of being isolated within the society. It can be said that the cognitive health is increased through the stimulation that is received from the brain and helps in reducing the stress level through an indirect manner.
According to Cox (2015), one of the major challenges is to get hold of the people who are suffering from the factor of loneliness and those who are isolated from the society as well. These problems have resulted in the factor of loneliness to be stigmatized, which has led to the people in identifying themselves that they are suffering from loneliness.
According to Wu et al. (2015), most of the older people have an attitude that they would like to do whatever they feel like and does not want to become a burden on the others who are trying to help them. They have a constant fear that may be denied in the society due to the factor of age and have low expectations regarding the services or the residential choices. They also have a tendency for providing just the initial support to the family or to a community. Apart from these, they are of the view that they do not admit that they are lonely.
According to McGregor et al. (2016), the major thing that the old age people are facing in the country is that they do not have the capacity in learning up the new things that will help them to sustain within the society. This is causing them to be slow within the community, as most of the people are coping up with adopting the new systems so that it can help them in leading a better life. Most of the population above the age of 70 years is disabled in learning the new forms in a quicker manner, as most of them try to stick to their traditional methods, which has been passed to them from the other generations. They are of the view that the new methods cannot be adopted, as it requires more time in using the technologies that are being changed on a constant manner.
The following research will be try to investigate the experience of loneliness that is faced by the elderly people above the age of 70 with respect to the disability that they have with learning.
The research will be based on the following objectives:
The researcher has to maintain honesty while communicating with the participants so that the data and publication status are not fabricated by any means. This would lead to a deceitful event, as the outcome of the research will be not as expected by the researcher. The objective of the researcher will be to avoid the biasness during the procedure of analyzing the data so that the interpretation can be done in the right manner. The researcher will also maintain the minimum biasness so that the financial or the personal interest of the person will not have any impact on the process of the research.
The integrity of the research process has to be maintained, as sincerity is a factor that will help the researcher in continuing with the process in a better way. the researcher has to make sure that the negligence and careless errors needs to be avoided, as he should examine the work in a critical manner. Proper records of the activities such as the collection of the data have to be recorded so that it can be analyzed in an efficient manner. The researcher has to be responsible towards the society so that the process of research does not harm any educational institution. The researcher will not discriminate his peers on the basis of race, ethnicity and sex, which might affect the research to be carried out in a proper manner.
This chapter helps the researcher in undertaking the methods that will help them in carrying out the process of research in an efficient manner. It helps the researcher in determining the method in which the research process will be done.
For this particular research to be conducted in a proper manner, the researcher will conduct a survey of 100 people who are aged 70 years and above and are residing in the United Kingdom. The survey will be conducted on the basis of a questionnaire so that it can help the researcher in providing the options from where the aged people can choose their opinions. The participants will be given a time of one week to complete the survey, as they are old and may take time in understanding the questions that will be put forward in the questionnaire (Mackey and Gass (2015).
There are majorly two types of process of sampling that the researcher needs to consider so that it can help in the completion of the process of the research. The probability sampling is where the researcher will randomly select the subjects so that the results cannot be biased in nature. This will help the researcher in carrying out the analysis based on the responses of the survey in a proper way so that a finite conclusion can be reached for the research process (Taylor, Bogdan and DeVault 2015).
The other type of sampling is known as non-probability sampling, where the researcher knows the participants that have been included in the process of survey. This type of sampling is where the researcher knows the result of the analysis before analyzing the responses, as the sample that has been taken for the research cannot be measured or calculated. This method of sampling helps the researcher in saving the time and cost, as the participants of the survey has been already decided by the researcher (Glesne 2015).
The researcher will choose the probability type of sampling, as it will help him in conducting the research process in a better manner. This will help the research to achieve a finite conclusion, as the analysis will be done based on the responses that will be collected from the survey.
According to Brinkmann (2014), there are mainly two types of design that that the researcher needs to consider in carrying out the research process. The qualitative method of the research is based mainly on the exploratory type of research, which is used to gain an in-depth understanding of the opinions and the reasons for conducting the research. This method helps the researcher in gaining better understanding of the problems and the hypothesis that has been taken up for the process by the researcher. The quantitative method is used for quantifying the problems by the researcher by generating the data that are numerical in nature. This data is analyzed with the help of statistical tools of the surveys that has been conducted by the researcher.
The researcher will use the quantitative type of the design, as he will be conducting the survey on the participants so that the responses can be collected from them. These surveys will be analyzed with the help of statistical tools so that it can be discussed by the researcher.
The collection of the data stands for the method through which the data is collected by the researcher. It is mainly of two types such as primary and secondary. The data that is primary in nature includes the use of questionnaire and interviews, which is done by the researcher for the process to be completed. The data that is secondary in nature consists of the journal articles, magazines and use of internet so that it can help in the completion of the research process (Flick 2015).
The researcher will use the primary source of data for conducting the research in an efficient manner, as survey will be conducted, which will be analyzed by the researcher with the help of the SPSS statistical tool. This will help the researcher in analyzing the data in a statistical manner so that the recommendations can be provided by the researcher in a better manner (Silverman 2016).
The researcher will try to find out the effect of loneliness that is present among the aged population in the UK. The factor of loneliness is an important attribute that most of the aged people face within the community, which increases their disability with respect to learning to a great extent. The outcome of the research will try to show that the old age people have difficulties in learning up the new skills that are being introduced in the market due to the factor of many problems that they have with respect to the attitudes and in following the traditional methods in doing the activities.
The other outcome that the research will be focusing on is that the researcher will try to provide better inputs that will help these people in learning up the new methods at a faster rate so that they can adapt the new methods in to their lifestyles. This will help these people in being at par with the other people in the society and will help them in reducing the factor of loneliness among them.
The strengths of the research proposal is that the evaluation can be done in a quicker manner, as the research will be based on quantitative type of study. The researcher does not have to spend time in collecting the responses, as the surveys can be filled up through an online platform and its tabulation can be done in a shorter span of time. The second strength that the proposal will have is that the data that will be collected will be numerical in nature, which will help in comparing it with the literature that has already been published by the other authors.
The weakness of this proposal is that the characteristics of the aged population living within the society, which includes the rich and the poor who have different identities within the society, as there is no evidence of the people living within the society. To make the research effective in nature, the researcher has to consider a sample size of more than 1000 people, which is not possible due to the lack of the resources that are available to the researcher. This research process will also fail to provide a thorough description of the people who are affected by the disability of learning among the society.
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Reference List
Bonder, B.R. and Dal Bello-Haas, V., 2017. Functional performance in older adults. FA Davis.
Brinkmann, S. (2014). Interview. In Encyclopedia of Critical Psychology (pp. 1008-1010). Springer New York.
Chang, J., McAllister, C. and McCaslin, R., 2015. Correlates of, and barriers to, Internet use among older adults. Journal of gerontological social work, 58(1), pp.66-85.
Clements, W.M. and Koenig, H.G., 2014. Aging and God: Spiritual pathways to mental health in midlife and later years. Routledge.
Cox, H.G., 2015. Later life: The realities of aging. Routledge.
de Jong Gierveld, J., Keating, N. and Fast, J.E., 2015. Determinants of loneliness among older adults in Canada. Canadian Journal on Aging/La Revue canadienne du vieillissement, 34(2), pp.125-136.
Flick, U. (2015). Introducing research methodology: A beginner’s guide to doing a research project. Sage.
Glesne, C. (2015). Becoming qualitative researchers: An introduction. Pearson.
Goll, J.C., Charlesworth, G., Scior, K. and Stott, J., 2015. Barriers to social participation among lonely older adults: The influence of social fears and identity. PloS one, 10(2), p.e0116664.
Kensinger, E.A. and Gutchess, A.H., 2017. Cognitive aging in a social and affective context: Advances over the past 50 years. The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, 72(1), pp.61-70.
Mackey, A., and Gass, S. M. (2015). Second language research: Methodology and design. Routledge.
McCausland, D., McCallion, P., Carroll, R., O’Donovan, M., McGlinchey, E., Shivers, C., Burke, E. and McCarron, M., 2014. 2 Social Participation for Older People with Intellectual Disability. Advancing Years, Different Challenges: Wave 2 IDS-TILDA, p.29.
McGregor, K.K., Langenfeld, N., Horne, S., Oleson, J., Anson, M. and Jacobson, W., 2016. The university experiences of students with learning disabilities. Learning Disabilities Research & Practice, 31(2), pp.90-102.
Minocha, S., McNulty, C. and Evans, S., 2015. Imparting digital skills to people aged 55 years and over in the UK.
Murphy, C.M., Whelan, B.J. and Normand, C., 2015. Formal home?care utilisation by older adults in Ireland: evidence from the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA). Health & social care in the community, 23(4), pp.408-418.
Orellano-Colón, E.M., Mountain, G.A., Rosario, M., Colón, Z.M., Acevedo, S. and Tirado, J., 2015. Environmental restrictors to occupational participation in old age: Exploring differences across gender in Puerto Rico. International journal of environmental research and public health, 12(9), pp.11288-11303.
Palmer, A.D., Newsom, J.T. and Rook, K.S., 2016. How does difficulty communicating affect the social relationships of older adults? An exploration using data from a national survey. Journal of communication disorders, 62, pp.131-146.
Segal, D.L., Qualls, S.H. and Smyer, M.A., 2018. Aging and mental health. John Wiley & Sons.
Silverman, D. (Ed.). (2016). Qualitative research. Sage.
Smedley, K., 2017. Age Matters: Employing, Motivating and Managing Older Employees. Routledge.
Swift, H.J., Abrams, D., Lamont, R.A. and Drury, L., 2017. The risks of ageism model: how ageism and negative attitudes toward age can be a barrier to active aging. Social Issues and Policy Review, 11(1), pp.195-231.
Taylor, S. J., Bogdan, R., and DeVault, M. (2015). Introduction to qualitative research methods: A guidebook and resource. John Wiley & Sons.
Vroman, K.G., Arthanat, S. and Lysack, C., 2015. “Who over 65 is online?” Older adults’ dispositions toward information communication technology. Computers in Human Behavior, 43, pp.156-166.
Wu, Y.H., Damnée, S., Kerhervé, H., Ware, C. and Rigaud, A.S., 2015. Bridging the digital divide in older adults: a study from an initiative to inform older adults about new technologies. Clinical interventions in aging, 10, p.193.
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