Voices of Ageing: Elderly Perspectives on Social Support through Qualitative Insights

Abstract

This qualitative study explores the lived experiences of elderly people who lack adequate social support. Social support includes the emotional, instrumental, and informational resources provided by individuals, families and communities. In later life, diminishing social networks and increased dependency often lead to psychological distress and reduced quality of life. The study employs a qualitative methodology to analyse the information gathered from 32 elderly people. Participants were recruited from retirement communities, religious institutions and public parks in Jammu City, India. The average age of the participants was 70.05 years, with ages ranging from 60 to 90 years. Among them, 28.12% were female and 71.8% were male. This study identified key themes related to the negative consequences of lacking social support, as well as the potential benefits of social support through thematic analysis via NVivo software. Findings revealed emotional instability, loneliness, and decreased well-being among those with minimal support, while those with strong support systems reported enhanced resilience and life satisfaction. The findings emphasize the importance of developing focused interventions and policy measures aimed at reinforcing social connections and enhancing care systems for elderly individuals. This study offers the unique contribution of developing a qualitative analysis of social support-related characteristics.