A qualitative study on loneliness among Filipino elderly

• Main Authors: Arugay, Irish Stacey A., Belmonte, Nicole Patricia M., Gacias, Carina Therese H., Watanabe, Aya P.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2018
• Subjects: Loneliness in old age > Philippines
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_bachelors/8197
• Institution: De La Salle University

The objective of this study is to understand the experiences of Filipino elderly with loneliness. The study is comprised of 12 Filipino elderly aged 70 to 83 years old who have reportedly experienced loneliness in the latter part of their lives. Through a qualitative approach using the Social Convoy Theory, data collection was executed by conducting personal interviews. Each participant was interviewed twice in order to have a deeper understanding of their answers. The researchers used a coding method wherein they analyzed each transcript to find common themes that describe the experience of loneliness among the Filipino elderly. The data gathered showed three superordinate themes sorrow from aging, losing something valuable, and resilience through coping. The first two are factors that greatly contribute to the overall experience of loneliness among the elderly while the third superordinate theme is the response of the Filipino elderly toward their loneliness. Each superordinate theme has several subordinate themes that support its message.