Living arrangements, loneliness, and social support of low-vision older clients

1. Loneliness has been linked to both psychological and medical problems. The study of loneliness and social support should interest nurses because nursing interventions may assist in preventing or alleviating potential health problems. 2. Study results indicate that low-vision older clients who lived alone were no lonelier than those who lived with others. Clients who lived alone were as satisfied with their social networks as those who lived with others. The actual number of supporters in the social network had no effect on loneliness for either group. 3. Neither group was particularly lonely. The nurse cannot assume that the combination of low-vision and living alone results in loneliness. Because different categories of supporters were linked to different areas of need, nurses need to help clients determine their emotional needs and identify who in the clients' network can best meet these needs.