Uvod: Usamljenost se karakterizira kao neugodna, bolna, anksiozna čežnja za drugom osobom ili osobama, koja nastaje kada se osoba osjeća odbačenom, otuđenom ili neshvaćenom od drugih te joj nedostaje društvo za socijalne aktivnosti i emocionalnu intimnost. Svrha istraživanja je usporediti razlike u samoprocjeni socijalne i emocionalne
usamljenosti te samopoštovanja s obzirom na mjesto stanovanja sudionika (dom umirovljenika ili vlastita kuća), sociodemografske karakteristike sudionika (spol, dob, bračno stanje, razina obrazovanja) i zdravstveno stanje.
Sudionici i metode: Za prikupljanje primarnih podataka odabran je prigodan uzorak slučajnim odabirom od 379 sudionika na području Varaždinske i Međimurske županije pri čemu je u istraživanju sudjelovalo 178 sudionika koji žive u kućama i 201 sudionik iz domova umirovljenika. Kao instrumenti istraživanja korišteni su ovi upitnici:
Rosenbergova ljestvica samopoštovanja, Ljestvica socijalne i emocionalne usamljenosti te polustrukturirani upitnik sociodemografskih podataka konstruiran za potrebe ovog istraživanja.
Rezultati: Rezultati su pokazali da su sudionici u domu umirovljenika koji imaju nižu razinu obrazovanja i lošije zdravstveno stanje ujedno iskazali nižu razinu samopoštovanja, a neudati/neoženjeni sudionici su iskazali veću razinu usamljenosti u ljubavi i usamljenosti u obitelji. Kod sudionika u kućama rezultati su pokazali kako su sudionici stariji od 85 godina svoje samopoštovanje procijenili najnižim te su iskazali najveću socijalnu usamljenost i usamljenost u ljubavi.
Zaključak: S obzirom da je usamljenost složen konstrukt, potrebno je provoditi daljnja, kontinuirana istraživanja iz drugih perspektiva kako bi
se mogli razviti modeli prevencije te povećala kvaliteta života osoba starije životne dobi.Background: Loneliness is characterised as an unpleasant, painful, anxious longing for another person or persons, occurring when one is feeling rejected, alienated or not understood by others and misses the company of others for social activities and emotional intimacy. The purpose of this study was to compare the level of perceived social and emotional loneliness in two groups of elderly people, one in institutions/retirement homes and the other in their homes/households,
and determine to which extent loneliness was linked with self-esteem and sociodemographic variables of the examinees.
Subjects and Methods: In order to gather primary data, a random sample of 379 participants from Varazdin and Medimurje County was selected, with 178 participants living in their homes and 201 institutionalized in retirement homes. The following questionnaires were used as the research instruments: Rosenberg’s Self-Esteem Scale, Emotional and Social Loneliness Scale, Self-Care Scale, and a semi-standardized questionnaire of sociodemographic data that was designed
for the needs of this study.
Results: The results showed that the participants who live in retirement homes and have a lower level of education and worrisome health conditions also have a lower level of self-esteem, while the unmarried participants showed a higher level of loneliness in love and family. The results of those living in their home showed that the participants older than 85 estimate their self-esteem the lowest and had the highest level of social loneliness and loneliness in love.
Conclusion: Given that loneliness is a complex notion, it is necessary to conduct further research from different perspectives in order to develop prevention models, and thus prevent the consequences of loneliness, with the aim of achieving increased quality of life for the elderly
