Loneliness, grieving process and depression affecting people of old age

Aim To investigate influence of loneliness and grieving processon manifestation of depressive symptoms, and to determineappearance of aggressive behavior as well as to explore subjects’spiritual beliefs, and the ways of coping with spiritual and moralbeliefs.Methods The research group consisted of 163 subjects olderthan 65 and divided in two groups. Older people living in anelderly care facility in Osijek formed one group, whereas theother group was formed of those living in their own homesin Osijek or akovo (Croatia). An anonymous and voluntarysurvey was used, and it included a general questionnaire, aquestionnaire dealing with grief from a spiritual point of view,Kendall Questionnaire on Chronic Sorrow, and the Beck DepressionInventory (BDI).Results Elderly people were most lonely, they had lower lifesatisfaction rates, and insufficient social contacts. Religion hasa very important place in their lives, 130 (79.8%), and relieveshard lifetime moments. Subjects who lived in their own homesshowed signs of chronic sorrow, 18 (19.8%) more often thansubjects who lived in an elderly care facility, but the latter aremore depressive and show more verbal aggressiveness.Conclusion The results emphasize that the feeling of lonelinessand grieving process influenced the depression symptomsoccurrence. It is therefore essential to encourage successful ageingand provide any help necessary to the elderly in order forthem to cope with stressful changes the best way possible thuspreparing themselves gradually for the ageing process.