Abstract:

Increasing population of older peoples, prolongation of life time, changes in socio-demographic structure effect on older people’s life areas, loneliness and life satisfaction. This descriptive research has been performed to determined perception of loneliness, life satisfaction and influencing factors at individuals who aged 65 and over, who lives in rural and urban areas. The subject for the research were 210 elderly people (70 elderly individuals living in five villages in Bartin, 140 elderly individuals who admitted to a Family Health Center in Kocaleli). Data collected by using Sociodemographic Features Diagnostic Forms, Life Satisfaction Scale, UCLA Loneliness Scale, Standardized Mini Mental Test. T test, Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskall-wallis test used for statistical analysis of data. 33.3% of the people who joined research are lives at the rural area and 67.7% of lives at urban area. 57.1% of women living in rural areas, 42.9% was man. 44.3% of them between 70-74 ages. 40% of women living urban area and 60% was man. 40% of them between 65-69 ages. Statistically significant difference was found between average Life Satisfaction Scale mean score with living rural (25.32±5.54) and urban area (20.60±6.10) (p<0.00). Statistically significant difference was found between UCLA loneliness score with living rural (49.7±3.49) and urban area (50.63±2.84) (p<0.05). Statistically significant difference was found between chronic diseases, use of assistive devices, number of child with life satisfaction score (p<0.05). It found that life satisfaction score of individuals in rural areas is higher than score of individuals in urban areas life. Individual perception of loneliness in urban areas was higher than living in rural areas.

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