m
 


       

   

             

   ! 

 
"
#
$%   #
#
$% &
'
#
% (  #'
#
% #   )' '
 The researchers decided to chose the topic due to the fact
that nobody among us wants to live alone when we grow old.
Most of us are not aware of the factors contributing to the fear
of living independently among elderly. Being suddenly forced
to live alone can be very hard, people often cannot take care
of themselves because they simply don't know how to or they
lack of motivation to do so. And that's the goal of the study. By
knowing the common sources of factors contributing to the
development of fear, care givers can perhaps strengthen their
support, improve intervention to reduce fear of living
independently and motivate the elderly to cope up with the
situation.
 This study entitled ³Factors that contribute to
fear of Living Independently Among Elderly´ seeks
to :
(1) Know the profile of geriatric respondents in terms
of (a) Age (b) Gender (c) Family size and Structure;
(2) To determine the factors that aggravate their fear of
living independently;
independently;
(3) To identify if their is a significant relationship
between the profile of the patient and the factors
that aggravate their fear of living independently.
inde
Literature on objective I

Loneliness a major worry among older people. Fear of being

alone is major source of anxiety as we grow old, according to
a new survey isolation and lack of contact with friends and
family in old age is seen as a greater worry than concerns
about declining health or finances. Elderly parents - an
organization which provides free advice to children coping
with the demands of ageing parents - found that nearly half of
those questioned said being lonely was their main concern in
the future. A third of respondents said securing their home
against intruders was a priority. One in five remain anxious
about managing household chores while five per cent feared
being unable to contact anyone in an emergency (Online: Dr.
Saga. February 16, 2010).
Õhysical and psychosocial correlates of fear of falling: among older adults in
assisted living facilities. Fear of falling is the most common reported fear
among older adults. Nevertheless, little is known about whom among this
population develops fear of falling and why. This study aims to identify physical
and psychosocial correlates of fear of falling among older adults in assisted
living facilities. Data were collected from interviews with 208 residents using
measures of fear of falling, physical and social functioning, depression, and
state and trait anxiety. Results revealed that 48.6% of the participants had
moderate to severe concern about falling. Stepwise multiple linear regression
analysis revealed that use of a walking device, depression, balance
impairment, trait anxiety, female gender, and a previous history of a fall or falls
were independent factors associated with fear of falling. It is suggested that
improving physical fitness and balance control and increasing one's self-
self-
efficacy and sense of control over the environment can decrease these
sources of fear among older adults (Bethesda,M.D.,2009.Gerontology.
(Bethesda,M.D.,2009.Gerontology.
2009.pp 278±
278±283).
 Depression is a problem for many older adults. Loss is
painful²
painful ²whether a loss of independence, mobility, health,
your long-
long-time career, or someone you love. Grieving over
these losses is normal, even if the feelings of sadness last for
weeks or months. Losing all hope and joy, however, is not
normal. It¶s depression although depression in the elderly is a
common problem, only a small percentage get the help they
need. There are many reasons depression in older adults is
so often overlooked: Some assume seniors have good reason
to be down or that depression is just part of ageing. Elderly
adults are often isolated, with few around to notice their
distress. Õhysicians are more likely to ignore depression in
older patients, concentrating instead on physical complaints.
Finally, many depressed seniors are reluctant to talk about
their feelings or ask for help (Segal, J., June 2006).
 A study of health problems and loneliness among the elderly.
During the study, it was found that out of the total 361 aged
persons, 311 (86.1%) persons reported one or more health-
health-related
complaints, with an average of two illnesses. The illness was higher
among the females (59.5%) as compared to males (40.5%). The
main health-
health-related problems were disorders of the circulatory
system (51.2%), musculoskeletal system and connective tissue
(45.7%). It was also found that loneliness was prevalent more in
females (72.8%) as compared to males (65.6%). Loneliness was
more prevalent among persons who lived alone (92.2%) as
compared to those who lived with their spouse (58.9%) or when
husband and wife lived with the family (61.4%). It was higher
among the widows (85.2%) and widowers (75.8%) who lived with
the family as compared to the aged who lived with the spouse
(58.9%) and the aged husband and wife who lived with the family
(61.4%)(Bhatia,2007, Gerontologist
Gerontologist,, vol.1,pp.255-
vol.1,pp.255-258).
 Fear grows among elderly over care costs. A quarter of all calls
to care charity helplessness are from frail old people or their
families worried about care home costs. The majority come from
middle class individuals who have to pay their own bills, and who
face selling a home to cover the costs (Albany, N.V.,2006, Aging,
vol.1, pp. 
 '

According to Linton and Lach (2007), because older adults are at

risk for mistreatment by any family member, peer, paid caregiver, or
agencies designed to help them, nurses have the opportunity and
responsibilities to alter the abuse course for the older adults and
reduce the consequences of any type of elder mistreatment. Older
abuse occurs mainly in the home setting, with the most likely
abusers being spouses, children, siblings, relatives, or paid
caregivers. Older persons often experience a gradual or sudden
diminution of social supports as they age. Loss of a spouse, friendly
neighbour of confidant may affect the ability to maintain
independent living.
     *+  

Religion. The relationship between death anxiety and religious belief

seems to be too complex to provide a simple pattern of findings. Death-
Death-
related teachings differ, and believers may take different messages from
the same basic doctrine. Historical studies also suggest that religious faith
and practices seem to have sometimes reduced and sometimes increased
(deathreference.com).
death anxiety. (deathreference.com ).

Health. The findings already mentioned come mostly from studies in

which respondents in relatively good health reported on their own fears.
Other studies and observations, though, give occasion for further
reflection. There is evidence to suggest that people may be experiencing
more anxiety than they are able to report. Even people who respond
calmly to death-
death-related words or images show agitation in breathing, heart
rate, and reaction time, among other measures. Researchers Herman
Feifel and B. Allen Branscomb therefore concluded in 1973 that everybody,
in one way or another, is afraid of death. Õresumably, people may have
enough self-
self-control to resist death
death--related anxiety on a conscious level but
not necessarily to quell their underlying feelings of threat
(deathreference.com
deathreference.com). ).
     *+  

Gender. The gender differences also require a second look. Although

women tend to report higher levels of death-
death-related anxiety, it is also
women who provide most of the professional and volunteer services to
terminally ill people and their families, and, again, it is mostly women who
enroll in death education courses. Women are more open to death- death-related
thoughts and feelings, and men are somewhat more concerned about
keeping these thoughts and feelings in check. The relatively higher level of
reported death anxiety among women perhaps contributes to empathy with
dying and grieving people and the desire to help them cope with their
ordeals(deathreference.com
ordeals( deathreference.com). ).
     *+  

Š Age. The relationship between age and death anxiety is also

rather complex. Adolescents may at the same time harbor a sense of
immortality and experience a sense of vulnerability and incipient terror, but
also enjoy transforming death-related anxiety into risky death-defying
activities. What people fear most about death often changes with age. Young
adults are often mostly concerned about dying too soon²before they have
had the chance to do and experience all they have hoped for in life. Adult
parents are often more likely to worry about the effect of their possible deaths
upon other family members. Elderly adults often express concern about living
"too long" and therefore becoming a burden on others and useless to
themselves. Furthermore, the fear of dying alone or among strangers is often
more intense than the fear of life coming to an end. Knowing a person's
general level of anxiety, then, does not necessarily identify what it is that most
disturbs a person about the prospect of death(deathreference.com).
Š
     *+  

Most older people do live independently. At the 1996 census, 92% of

people 65 and over, and 87% of people 75 and over lived in private
dwellings. That is, they lived at home, with or without family care or other
health or welfare services. There are degrees of independence or
interdependence amongst those living in a domestic setting. Most disabled
older people, including those with severe disabilities and high dependency
on others, presently live in private households.(http://www.osc.govt.nz)
     *+  

A health promotion program that seeks to change social norms such as

the belief that it is unsafe for older adults to do strength training could
intervene at the interpersonal (³between people´) level by inviting families
to participate in strength training at a physical-activity health fair. The same
program might also intervene at the community and public policy levels by
starting a walking club and encouraging the participants to become
involved in a local effort to create a walk.
    *+  

To create health promotion programs that change behavior and create

supportive environments that encourage good health practices, the American
Journal of Health Õromotion suggests a framework of four essential elements:
awareness, motivation, skill-building and opportunity (O¶Donnell,
2005)Increased knowledge and awareness of impairments from loss of sensory,
cognitive or physical function will help the provider choose appropriate
techniques to encourage elders of all abilities to participate in health promotion
activities. For additional suggestions on working with older adults with visual or
auditory impairment or cognitive loss, or for working with older adults in physical
activity programs (Llewellyn, D.J., 2008, Cognitive function and psychological
well-being, pp. 685±689).
 The conceptual paradigm shows the existing relationship between the first box
which is the demographic profile and the second box is the fear of elders. The third
box which is the plan of action is the result of the demographic profile which has
elders.
four variables age, gender, family and structure and the fear among elders.

Age Age
Gender ÕLAN OF
Educational Attainment ACTION
Civil Status
Religion

Fig. 1
Conceptual Õaradigm of the study
Research Design

The researchers utilized descriptive correlational survey

design, since it explains and estimates the extent to which the
variables are related to each other. It is most applicable to the
problem.
Descriptive correlational method is a process of collecting
data in order to come up with findings and results concerning
the statement of the problem of the study. Its purpose is to
describe, observe, and document aspects of a situation as it
naturally occurs. On the other hand, correlational method is
the collection of large amount of data about the problem and
explores the interrelationships among variables of interest
without any active intervention by the researchers.
Š
 The respondents of the study are elderly who's ranging from 60
and above who are conscious and coherent. The researchers
conducted a survey in Barangay Sampaga
Sampaga,, 24, Bolbok in the City
of Batangas and San Vicente in Lipa City.Elders of the different
barangay of Batangas Õrovince where the researchers live are the
respondents of this research. They make up about 10% from
Sampaga,, 10% from Bolbok,
Sampaga Bolbok, 10% from Barangay 24, Batangas
City, and 10% from San Vicente, Lipa City. The researchers, being
familiar with the local residents, find no difficulty in coordinating with
these aged people, being their elder aunts and uncles, neighbors
neighbors,,
and grandparents. The researchers chose the Barangays because
there is a big population of elders which can be the respondents.
The purposive sampling is applied for the researcher's
judgement in selecting respondents whose, age, gender,
educational attainment, civil status are considered to ascertain the
basis for developing program for the study.
Õ
  
 Õ
  
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
X


  
 


  


 




  

   
 
   
  
 
    

!"#" 
 

$  %
 

&  

 
' % %
    
( ) % %
'*  % 


+" 
 %

,#  #  
- % 
."#  

 6"#"# "/#0"##0 
* 1"#"
*(""#1 11##//#
 "#")/0" ""
#"#"" "* 1"
2#1#$ 11
11"#* #6"2#
# "#$#   )3*#
4#" *"*11"#* #
#10 0 0
## (""4#"
11 $
 1#1# 112#0
)#1 "#1
  16"0)## "
*##11**1"2#6"
#"*# "2#" 
1&#1" #1
")2#0"2#)#
# "#* #6"2##
)"#* #*#$/
#""$)1*$1"
##$ 0"#"# 0 0
$5  * "#*##1"
#* #
 O 1"2#)
$5 # #* 
###
 6"#"**##"  )""
)* $##

(" #"#1#1"

 $0"#")#" #1 
##1"")
 #  $"
)" 1  '1"#* #
1 #"$" ##0#
  $")" 1 
6"$
#"1#"$$"
1)##/1" #
1 #"" $# 
 ##  $")" 1

0 
0 

  "# $1-"6

7""
*#0##0 1" $0,)#
1 "1"  *##0 6
87
*##* "" *#0
*##* ""
)"1)###(""##)#
"""1#6%87#* #
6
876"""

876""" *#) # #
1"$#$#6870##/#$#
 ##6 87,)##1 "
##)#*1#6
87#
* #6  879##)#*
*##)" 6%87#* 
"#)" )""#*#6
%87)""# 
 )1 )""1$6  87,)#""
") )#6
87 ) )#6
87)" )"
"1$#* " )" )""
#*#6
%87 " "#  )1)" 
)""1$6  87676-"0+'0

0
#0**
# 0**
7
  *## #0
"$"##" /)
  :#  "#
"01 """ 
#$*6%7
!$*"#5 "## #
""#$* #$0#0#
*"" "0#/
$6766* 
$67 * 0;0


0;0

0*
0*
"#1 $40**

"#1 $4 0**


7
 Table 2
Fear of Living Alone Among Elderly
N=200
Standard
Items Mean Deviation Interpretation
,1 1#
 ," ## 
 
 O#
 ,"$1)" 1 

O#
 ,:1$*  
 
O#
 &)/1  

 O#

 $"##11""#* %  % O#

 ,"*$  
O#
 ,"1)##/1 
 
 O#

 $1$#11$"# 


O#
% ,")     O#

 $1$"1     O#
 $1$"#   
O#
 $1$"1 $ #  % O#
  , 0,1"*##1 
  O#
  ,1#" #"** % 
O#
 ,1 " ,: %  O#
  , :"$)"#  
O#
 ,1/, $1$   
O#

 $"##11"$ 
 O#
% $1$"$ 
   O#

 , :/)")/1$#1 
 O#
 $" $#   


O#
 ,:"#$1$  
O#
  ,"/   O#
  ,"1)1 #)"$ %%  O#
 ,"1     O#
  ,) $"# %%  % O#
 ,: )"$1 


O#


   ! "  
 In today¶s society, ageing and the family dynamic have changed
dramatically. With more and more families with small children in the
home being forced to care for their ageing parents, our nation¶s
depression rate has increased, and the number of families that fall under
the poverty level is rising at an alarming rate(f2) ( www.tonydrolling.com
www.tonydrolling.com).
).
According to Ahronheim
Ahronheim,, many studies all over the world have
shown that ill health is one of the most important factors that cause fear
in the minds of old people (Ahronheim
Ahronheim,, J.C., 2006, Special Õroblems in
the Geriatric Õatient
Õatient,, pp. 21-
21-25).
Judith Ahronheim emphasized that along with the increasing number
of young people moving abroad to pursue opportunities for employment
and adventure, the emergence of nuclear families, single parent families,
female headed households and dual earner families disrupted the
traditional family norms and form the soil for a deteriorated care system
of the aged (Ahronheim
(Ahronheim,, J.C., 2006, Special Õroblems in the Geriatric
Õatient,, pp. 21-
Õatient 21-25).
 In today¶s society, ageing and the family dynamic have changed
dramatically. With more and more families with small children in the home
being forced to care for their ageing parents, our nation¶s depression rate
has increased, and the number of families that fall under the poverty level
is rising at an alarming rate(f2) ( www.tonydrolling.com
www.tonydrolling.com).).

According to Ahronheim
Ahronheim,, many studies all over the world have shown
that ill health is one of the most important factors that cause fear in the
minds of old people (Ahronheim
Ahronheim,, J.C., 2006, Special Õroblems in the
Geriatric Õatient,
Õatient, pp. 21-
21-25).

Judith Ahronheim emphasized that along with the increasing number of

young people moving abroad to pursue opportunities for employment and
adventure, the emergence of nuclear families, single parent families,
female headed households and dual earner families disrupted the
traditional family norms and form the soil for a deteriorated care system of
the aged (Ahronheim
(Ahronheim,, J.C., 2006, Special Õroblems in the Geriatric
Õatient,, pp. 21-
Õatient 21-25).
Š Many older people are now finding themselves forgotten and abandoned
by their families or even in nursing facilities, with little or no contact with
their immediate families. This is just one of the many tragic effects of
ageing and the family dynamic(F11) (www.tonydrolling.com).
Š

Š According to Linton and Lach (2007) because older adults are at risk for
mistreatment by any family member, peer, paid caregiver, or agencies
designed to help them, nurses have the opportunity and responsibilities to
alter the abuse course for the older adults and reduce the consequences
of any type of elder mistreatment. Older abuse occurs mainly in the home
setting, with the most likely abusers being spouses, children, siblings,
relatives, or paid caregivers. Older persons often experience a gradual or
sudden diminution of social supports as they age (f11).
 Most research on ageing in developing countries has focused on support
provided by adult children to elderly parents. Underlying this approach is the
mute assumption that elderly people are in need of support as a matter of
course. Õopulation ageing therefore represents a challenge, if not outright
problem, to families and societies. This is reflected, for example, in the use
of dependency ratios as a measure of the elderly µburden¶ on the productive
population (Anwar 1997); or in the anxious monitoring of elderly living
arrangements and family sizes as indicators of their growing imperilment due
to declining availability of support (Bowling, A., 2006, Age Ageing, pp. 703±
710).
In the Õhilippines, children are allowed to stay beyond legally adult age
until they marry and have their own families. In such cases, the children
contribute to the upkeep of the family and do not depend totally on their
parents. The elderly are not abandoned, but cared for even until
death(www.philstar.com).
 Fear of being alone can be caused by all kinds of things.
Maybe you felt abandoned at some time in life and came to
associate being alone with being unloved or neglected. Or
maybe you just never learnt to be comfortable while alone. Like
anything in life you can learn to be better at being alone without
being lonely, so you have the choice whether to be with others
or not. And when you overcome fear of being alone, you
instantly become more independent and confident as a result
(www.hypnosis.com).
41 < * ,*

Age .030 .194 Not Significant

Gender .011 .146 Not Significant
Educational Attainment .048 .021 Significant
Civil Status .009 .642 Not Significant
Religion .050 .018 Significant
 #  1" .$0  
###1$  ##"
#   #1$
 "11 $6"
* 11  1



#")#" #1 ###"


1#16"##""#
#1#"*=#) 
 "1 $

"$1*# )

 **#"$*0"#
#  "" *#)
*10#$** 0*1
6))) #X 7
 .1"# "#>'#5#"
1)1 -)%
 %%
0"*1
"#   )"* ""#"# 1
8 8
-$

0
81##)"* ""#"6"*
)"":# )"#  81"
18 ##$ 1)""
"*"")0 **)" 
$"" )#/1 #$
6)))""7

#*#1 0#$#01#0 *#

"#**# "*?#=*#11
)""  :#11""
 ) "("""#  $  #0
"0#$ 1 $"*?#
*$00 0""#0 #1)
)"#$0*#  *##,$1##*1
#*0*"$#0  #$ )""$
$ #1#)#  "#  *1#$+
#*#### #0)#0"#$0 
$"$0#)#*#1"  #=*
6)))""#7
 



-# " $##0"1)"1

  @

 6"11" $#")

 #  $"""#)" 
1  6"#11" $#"
1)11 #"$  $"
)#)" 1

 6"##1#"*)"*11"

#* #6  7 1
1 $

 3$1"#* #)
 $# 0#$

0$ 0 0 +
"
 

  

,""1" ##0"1)###

"111 @

 6"#1" $#**"##

$ *#$"$0"#"*"*)"
 1" ##111 ##

 6"# ###"   *## 

" # **$ 11###"*"
*)""1

 6"1#"## # $") $**

**)" 11##"  *

 6"1#"##"* "1#"

"11" $

 6"1#"#0#  ""$*#

#"1$##*$)"$  $