ASLaRC Aged Services Unit, School of Health and Human Sciences, Southern Cross University, Lissmore, New South Wales, Australia.
Geriatr Nurs. 2011 Sep-Oct;32(5):318-25. doi: 10.1016/j.gerinurse.2011.05.003. Epub 2011 Aug 10.
Social engagement and meaningful relationships are critical determinants of the quality of life of older people. Human beings have an intrinsic need for social connections and an engagement with the social environment. Deficits in the quality of these social relationships lead to feelings of isolation and loneliness in older people. Loneliness can have serious physiological and health implications. It is well established that loneliness is a risk factor for poor physical and mental health, comparable in size to obesity, a sedentary lifestyle and possibly even smoking. The aim of this article is to present an argument for the management of loneliness in aged care residents as an important therapeutic target in gerontological nursing. To date little is known about the effectiveness of intervention strategies designed to alleviate loneliness in aged care residents. Nurses can address this deficit in our understanding by evaluating the impact of loneliness intervention strategies.
社会参与和有意义的人际关系是老年人生活质量的关键决定因素。人类有内在的社交需求和与社交环境的互动需求。这些社交关系质量的缺陷会导致老年人感到孤立和孤独。孤独会对身心健康产生严重的影响。已经确定，孤独是身心健康不良的一个风险因素，其影响程度与肥胖、久坐不动的生活方式甚至吸烟相当。本文旨在提出将老年人护理居民的孤独管理作为老年护理中一个重要的治疗目标的观点。迄今为止，针对缓解老年人护理居民孤独感而设计的干预策略的有效性知之甚少。护士可以通过评估孤独干预策略的影响来弥补这一理解上的不足。
