The Effect of Perceived Social Support on Loneliness and Hopelessness in Older Individuals

Objective: This study was conducted to determine the effect of perceived social support on loneliness and hopelessness in older individuals.Methods: This descriptive study was conducted between November 2017 and April 2018 at the Central Family Health Center located in the district center of a province in the Central Black Sea Region. No sample selection was used, and a total of 326 individuals aged 65 and over who met the inclusion criteria were included in the study. Data were collected by using a Descriptive Characteristics Form, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, the UCLA-Loneliness Scale, and the Beck Hopelessness Scale.Results: The study revealed that the mean age of the older adults was 74.03±6.99 years. A moderate negative correlation was found between the total mean score of Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support and the mean score of UCLA-Loneliness Scale. At the same time, there was a weak negative correlation between the total mean score of Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support and the total mean score of Beck Hopelessness Scale (p<0.001).Conclusions: Perceived social support was an effective factor in reducing perception of loneliness and hopelessness, and hopelessness increased as loneliness grew. It is recommended that nurses working in family health centers detect loneliness and hopelessness in older adults at an early stage and provide counseling services to both families and elderly individuals to enhance social support.