Experiences of solitude among elderly who live alone

Abstract

Objective: to comprehend the experiences of solitude among elderly who live alone. Method: exploratory study of qualitative approach, developed in the urban area of the of Cuiabá-MT. Thirty-five elderly participated of this study. The data were collected using script of interview, Lawton and Brody Scale and Katz Index and analyzed by the thematic analysis technique. Results: to age and live in society are natural processes to elderly. Living alone is a new condition experienced by them, but the solitude is not of their nature. The construction of this reality revealed a feeling of solitude that attacks them with different intensities depending of the fragilities of the relationships. Conclusion: it is understood that the sociability allows the integration of the elderly with other people and that the net of social and family support is important to help them in this experience of living alone.