The Department of Social Welfare of the City Council of Molina de Segura has prepared a sociological study of elderly people in the municipality in a situation of loneliness. The result of this study was presented at a press conference this Wednesday by the mayor of Molina de Segura, Eliseo García Cantó, the Councilor for Social Welfare, Ángel Navarro García, and the sociologist of the Department of Social Welfare, Alejandro Toledo Montoro.
Of the study participants, 24% are men and 76% women, the main marital status being widowhood, who self-perceive their state of health as good in general terms, with a good home and an adapted bathroom. Almost 90% of those surveyed have relatives in the municipality, which implies the maintenance of a very important family support network at certain ages. 60% of those surveyed do not need more contacts or support than they already have. According to the study, in addition, in the municipality of Molina de Segura there is a great participation in community life, since 39% of those surveyed participate in some activity. This is one of the main indicators that determine active and healthy ageing.
Regarding the level of income, greater difficulties are detected, since only 45% consider that their economy allows them to maintain a decent life. A vast majority do not receive any dependency assistance, and those who do receive mainly the telecare service. Regarding their personal autonomy, it is verified how the results vary significantly depending on the age group, since the youngest use more transport, both private and public, and relate better to technologies.
Target population
The population over 65 years of Molina de Segura represents a total of 9,627 people, which represents 13.10% of the total population. From this population group, the Department of Social Welfare concluded that there were a total of 1,779 people who were “statistically alone” and who, therefore, were the direct object of study. He was able to carry out a total of 333 surveys of this population segment. The population over 65 years of age who lives alone represents 18.48% of the total population in that age group, the vast majority being women.
The objective of the study was to know the current situation of people over 65 years of age who live alone in the municipality of Molina de Segura. That is, to determine the specific risks and needs of this group; identify those who are not users of Social Services; inform about the resources that are available to this group and guide them so that they can satisfy their needs and mitigate their risks. In addition to carrying out a continuous and periodic follow-up of each of the identified cases with service provision needs and generating neighborhood networks for the detection of cases of unwanted loneliness in people over 65 years of age.
Conclusions
The study has provided the necessary information to know the specific risks and needs of the elderly group, and especially of those who are or may be alone. Through the data provided by the study, the Department of Social Welfare concludes that the factors that affect the risk or vulnerability of older people who live alone are: illness, lack of support, isolation, lack of material resources and and the limitations on their personal autonomy.
Identifying these as risks, the analysis of the questionnaire shows that older people who live alone in the municipality of Molina de Segura have: a positive self-perception of health; access to the resources provided by the Department of Social Welfare; support and contact with family, friends or neighbors; an income level that allows them to maintain a decent life; and a certain degree of personal autonomy, which makes the older person from Molin a protected person, with quality of life and well-being.
Cases of unwanted loneliness have been detected, which required monitoring and guidance; none of them were cases of social urgency, but they needed more contact due to a feeling of loneliness. These people were directed to the services they might need, whether they are the resources of the Care Program for the Elderly and Dependency, or those belonging to the Unit for the Elderly, both services of the Department of Social Welfare of the Molina de Segura City Council. However, it is understood that there may be more people in the municipality who are in this situation, so a Detection and Follow-up Protocol for cases of Unwanted Loneliness in the elderly will be launched, which will help provide coverage to those who need it today or in the future.
In short, the study shows that the elderly population of the municipality of Molina de Segura is protected and has a wide network of support, both family and neighborhood, community and municipal resources, who make their lives, despite loneliness, gather enough conditions to not find great difficulties in their day to day.