The Influence of Social Support on Depression in the Elderly | 2023

The Influence of Social Support on Depression in the Elderly

Authors: Angelica Imelda Putri 1st, Chelsea Azka Nazzala 2nd, Tatu Zakiyatun Nufus 3rd
Psychology faculty of UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta, Indonesia

Abstract
The increased life expectancy has resulted in an increase in the number of elderly people each year, where the
elderly are defined as individuals over the age of 60. The elderly are highly at risk for health problems, including
depression, which is often triggered by the stress of life changes such as retirement, illness, and the need to care
for a sick loved one. The death of family and friends also affects the psychological well-being of the elderly.
Social support from family, friends, and the community plays a crucial role in overcoming these challenges.
Literature studies show that positive social support directly and indirectly affects the physical and psychological
health of the elderly. This study, focusing on the relationship between social support and depression in the elderly,
notes that high levels of social support are associated with lower levels of depression, while a lack of social support
may increase the risk of depression. Thus, understanding the crucial role of social support in elderly well-being is
important to guide mental health prevention and intervention efforts.
Keywords: depression, social support, elderly

Introduction
The increasing life expectancy of the population causes the number of elderly people
to continue to increase every year. Hurlock says that the elderly are people over the age of 60.
According to Hurlock, old age is the final stage of the human growth cycle, a time when
everyone wants to live peacefully and enjoy old age with their beloved children and
grandchildren.
Elderly people are highly at risk of health problems, including stress-induced
depression, in the face of life changes associated with the so-called golden years. These life
changes include retirement, illness or physical disability, and the need to care for a partner
whose health is declining. The death of family and friends brings grief and reminds older
people of their advancing age and the diminishing availability of social support.
Social support includes various kinds of interactions and support from family, friends,
and the community. The influence of social support on the elderly is not only limited to physical
aspects but also has a significant impact on psychological and emotional health. Therefore, we
conducted this research because we wanted to provide an understanding of the importance of
social support for the elderly.

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 The Influence of Social Support on Depression in the Elderly | 2023

Before writing this, we have read few journals written by Saputri, M. A. W., &
Indrawati, E. S. (2011) entitled “Hubungan Antara Dukungan Sosial Dengan Depresi Pada
Lanjut Usia yang Tinggal di Panti Wreda Wening Wardoyo Jawa Tengah”, written by
Nenotek, A. R., Milwati, S., & Sulasmini, S. (2017) entitled “Hubungan Dukungan Sosial
Dengan Tingkat Depresi Pada Lanjut Usia di Panti Werdha Pangesti Lawang”, written by
Mujahidah, Z., & Febrianti, D. (2020) entitled “Dukungan Sosial Dengan Kejadian Depresi
Pada Lanjut Usia di Panti Sosial Tresna Werdha Budi Mulia 1 Cipayung Jakarta Timur”,
written by Matt, G. E., & Dean, A. (1993) entitled “Social Support From Friends and
Psychological Distress Among Elderly Persons: Moderator Effects of Age”, and written by
Dean, A., Kolody, B., & Wood, P. (1990) entitled “Effects of Social Support From Various
Sources On Depression In Elderly Persons”.

Literature review
A. Elderly
According to the large Indonesian dictionary, the elderly is the stage of old age
in individual development with an age limit of 60 years and above. The elderly are
divided into two categories: potential elderly and non-potential elderly. Potential
elderly are those who are still able to work, while non-potential elderly are elderly who
are unable to earn a living and whose lives depend on others.
The elderly are at a stage in life that often involves many physical and mental
changes. Psychological changes in the elderly include loneliness, fear of loss, fear of
death, and depression. Many problems faced can certainly affect the lives of the elderly,
and of course, they need support from the people around them.

B. Depression
Depression is a mental disorder that affects a person's mood, thoughts, and
behavior. It can significantly affect a person's physical and emotional health. People
with depression tend to feel sad, lose interest in or pleasure in daily activities, and may
experience weight changes and sleep problems.
According to Beck, symptoms of depression can be divided into four categories:
emotional symptoms, cognitive symptoms, motivational symptoms, and physical
symptoms. Elderly people with depression usually show more physical pain than

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 The Influence of Social Support on Depression in the Elderly | 2023

emotional pain. However, physical pain as a symptom of depression is less easy to

recognize.
Depression can be caused by several factors. According to Ibrahim (2011),
factors that affect depression are biological, physical, psychological, and even social
factors. Social factors that cause depression in the elderly are the loss of close
relatives, loss of work in daily activities, and loss of income.

C. Social Support
Social support is an important element in human life and has a positive impact
on psychological well-being. Impaired psychological well-being can lead to mental
health disorders such as depression. Depression in the elderly can be prevented or
overcome, one of which is with social support. Social support can serve to provide a
feeling, and some friends can be relied on, reassuring self-esteem and compassion.
(Nenotek et al., 2017)
Social support can not only help individuals through difficult times; it can also
improve their overall quality of life. Relationships with friends, family, and the
community not only create a sense of community but are also an important foundation
for mental and emotional well-being. Sarafino opined that social support has many
impacts because positive social support can, directly and indirectly, recover a person's
physical and psychological condition.

Methodology
The type of research method that we use in writing the report is a literature study.
This research analysis technique consists of conducting a literature review, which is a data
collection technique that involves researching and reading sources to obtain valid information
related to the research topic.

Result and finding

According to our findings, there is an influence caused by social support as a way to
overcome depression in the elderly. Based on research conducted by previous researchers, this
is because the elderly get good social support. Social support from family, friends, and the
community provides much-needed support.

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 The Influence of Social Support on Depression in the Elderly | 2023

Good social support can improve the physical and mental health of the elderly. The
elderly with lower levels of depression are better able to carry out their activities. In contrast,
elderly people have higher levels of depression. Elderly people with high depression will also
reduce their physical health.

Conclusion
Elderly people may often face many health problems, especially psychological health.
In this situation, social support from family, friends, and the community becomes very
important to maintain mental health, such as symptoms of depression. Research has found that
there is a significant relationship between social support and depression in older people. Strong
social support can help counter the feelings of loneliness that often lead to depression in the
elderly. The more social support the elderly have, the lower their depression. On the other hand,
the lower the social support, the higher the depression. As a result, it is important to understand
the role of social support in the well-being of the elderly.

References
Nenotek, A. R., Milwati, S., & Sulasmini. (2017). Hubungan Dukungan Sosial Dengan
Tingkat Depresi Pada Lanjut Usia di Panti Werdha Pangesti Lawang. In Nursing
News: Jurnal Ilmiah Keperawatan. (Vol. 2).
Saputri, M. A. W., & Indrawati, E. S. (2011). Hubungan Antara Dukungan Sosial Dengan
Depresi Pada Lanjut Usia yang Tinggal di Panti Wreda Wening Wardoyo Jawa
Tengah. In Jurnal Psikologi. (Vol. 1).
Matt, E. G., & Dean, A. (1993). Social Support from Friends and Psychological Distress
Among Elderly Persons: Moderator Effects of Age. In Journal of Health and Social
Behavior. (Vol. 34).
Dean, A., Kolody, B., & Wood, P. (1990). Effects of Social Support from Various Sources
on Depression in Elderly Persons. In Journal of Health and Social Behavior. (Vol.
31).
Mujahidah, Z., & Febrianti, D. (2020). Dukungan Sosial Dengan Kejadian Pada Lanjut
Usia di Panti Sosial Tresna Werdha Budi Mulia 1 Cipayung Jakarta Timur. In Jurnal
Antara Keperawatan. (Vol. 3).

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