An exploration of the lived experiences in the older population.
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Life through their lens: Understanding the lived experiences of the older population.
IRAS ID
325553
Contact name
Keri Furniss
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Salford
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 5 months, 3 days
Research summary
Research Summary:
The number of older people in the United Kingdom (UK) is rising. In line with advances in both medical and social care, people are living longer. The World Health Organisation advocate that a heathy ageing population is crucial to preserve both longevity and quality of life. There is strong evidence globally that social isolation affects a significant proportion of older people, is associated with poor health outcomes, and is a possible contributor to frailty and mortality. The combination of frailty and isolation in older age can have serious consequences for longevity, health, and well-being, can shorten lives, and reduce quality of life. Pressingly, the impact of COVID-19 and associated self-isolation measures has further amplified social isolation levels in the elderly. Yet, social isolation is not routinely screened for by medical professionals, meaning that it is often undetected. Whilst the Government has introduced several strategies and interventions to reduce social isolation, their effectiveness is debatable. There is also limited literature available regarding the experiences of older people living with social isolation, meaning that the care needs of this population are not fully understood.In order to address this gap in knowledge, this study aims to explore the lived experiences of older people who may be living in social isolation. Interpretive phenomenological analysis will be applied to explore lived experiences in a population recruited from an hospital outpatient setting. This will enable a rich understanding of the experiences of socially isolated older people and will enable planning for future care provision and the development of services and interventions to prevent social isolation in the UK and globally. This is crucial to reduce the negative effects of social isolation and support a healthy ageing population.
Lay summary of results:
Eleven participants were recruited through a hospital out-patient setting in the North West of England from 8th August to 1st December 2023. Semi-structured interviews and demographic data (age, gender, ethnicity, marital and housing status), frailty and social isolation scores, were collected and analysed to explore the impact of social isolation.
Three themes emerged from the data analysis: Theme 1. Are we on our own? Social isolation and loneliness in old age; Theme 2. It’s really all about the connection, and Theme 3. Am I past it now? – Experiencing old age. Across these themes, belonging emerged as the central organising concept shaping participants’ experiences. Participants rarely described their lives in terms of social isolation; instead, they articulated their experiences through the presence or absence of belonging, which was closely tied to relationships, identity, and a sense of purpose. When belonging was present, participants reported enhanced well-being and resilience, while its absence was associated with loneliness, loss, and vulnerability.
The findings provide a novel insight into understanding the lived experiences of older people in relation to social isolation. Interventions which screen for belonging are likely to be more effective than approaches that focus solely on identifying social isolation. This is crucial to reduce the negative effects of social isolation both in the UK and globally.REC name
South West - Frenchay Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
23/SW/0040
Date of REC Opinion
10 May 2023
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion