Assessing Levels of Loneliness among Elderly People Residing in the Nursing Homes of Baghdad City

Background: In the course of aging, elderly people experience declining physical and psychological function and deteriorated general health. One of the psychological deteriorations is the feeling of loneliness which may contribute to major health problems among the elderly people and its connections are still in argument. Objectives: To assess levels of loneliness among the elderly and to find out the relationship between these levels and some demographic characteristics. Methodology: A descriptive design study has been conducted from March 10th, 2017 to the July 10th, 2017. A non-probability sample of 52 elderly people was recruited, and a questionnaire was constructed which has two parts: five demographic characteristics of elderly people: gender, age, level of education, marital status and previous occupation; and 20 items represent UCLA loneliness scale. Results: 69.2% of elderly people are 60 years old and more; about half of them are married; 33% have secondary level of education and more; and 51.9% are retired. Half of elderly people have high and extremely high levels of loneliness. There is a significant relationship between the levels of loneliness and gender and age of elderly people. Conclusion: More than half of elderly people were with the levels of loneliness ranged between high to extremely high level. Women are with more levels of loneliness than men are. Recommendations: Elderly-related special services should be provided aiming at decreasing levels of loneliness and social isolation. These can be considered largely into one-to-one interventions.