Juan López Doblas

Viudedad, soledad y salud en la vejez

INTRODUCTION Elderly people are one of the most vulnerable groups in the population as regards loneliness, especially among those living alone. This paper aims to assess the impact of the feeling of loneliness on the elderly, taking into account that the loss of a spouse is the main reason that triggers this feeling. MATERIAL AND METHODS Findings are presented from a qualitative study conducted in Spain. Data were gathered using a focus group approach (8 focus groups, differentiated by gender and place of residence). The data were analysed from a Grounded Theory perspective. RESULTS Elderly people describe how they experience the feeling of loneliness after becoming widowed. The loss of the spouse brings an emotional vacuum that is impossible to be filled, especially at night. After long-lasting marriages, these older people are confronted with loneliness, both in the home and internally, which very often triggers depressive disorders. As regards health, 2 types of feelings were observed. On the one hand, there is helplessness for fear of accidents or unexpected illnesses when alone at home. On the other hand, they feel uncertainty about the future, as they wonder who will look after them in case of need. Both feelings contribute to activate loneliness. CONCLUSIONS Our findings add to the available knowledge about the close relationship between loneliness, widowhood, and health in old age, and provide qualitative knowledge to supplement what we already know about that relationship through surveys and other quantitative techniques used in social research.

The Widowed Women in Spain

espanolSobre los modos de vida de las mujeres viudas, gran parte de las cuales posee una edad avanzada, existe muy poco conocimiento en Espana. Este trabajo aborda dicho objeto de estudio desde una perspectiva sociologica. El planteamiento teorico recoge aportaciones de investigaciones realizadas en otros paises donde esta cuestion si que viene tratandose desde hace tiempo, considerando si viven solas, si comparten el hogar con hijos y/o con familiares de otras generaciones o si han vuelto a encontrar pareja. A nivel empirico se lleva a cabo un analisis descriptivo de las formas de vida de las viudas espanolas, utilizando datos secundarios procedentes de varios censos de poblacion, que pone de manifiesto la continua expansion que esta registrando la solitaria, en detrimento de la convivencia intergeneracional. Entre los resultados del estudio tambien cabe destacar como la manera en que viven las viudas varia en funcion del curso vital y, en el plano sociodemografico, como la viudedad tiende a concentrarse aceleradamente en la vejez. EnglishIn Spain, little knowledge exists on the living arrangements of the widowed women. This paper approaches the above mentioned object of study from a sociological perspective. The theoretical exposition gathers contributions of researches realized in other countries where this question has been treated, considering if they live alone, if they share the home with children and/or with relatives of other generations, or if they have returned to find couple. A descriptive empirical analysis is carried out, using secondary information proceeding from several censuses of population, which reveals the continuous expansion that living alone is registering, and the detriment of the intergenerational conviviality. It is also necessary to emphasize how the living arrangements change depending on the life course and, from the sociodemographic perspective, how the widowhood tends to intensively be concentrated in the old age.