At the “6th International Loneliness Symposium” organized by Üsküdar Üniversitesi with the main theme of “Aging and Loneliness”, “Loneliness of the Elderly in Turkey: Research Results” were also announced!
The research, conducted through face-to-face interviews with 800 people (400 women, 400 men) in 30 provinces across Turkey, revealed interesting results. To the question “How lonely do you feel?” 34 percent of the participants, the youngest of whom was 60 years old, said they ‘do not feel lonely’, 34 percent said they ‘sometimes feel lonely’, and 32 percent said they ‘often feel lonely’.
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan: “The phrase ‘crowded loneliness’ was chosen as the word of the year. Why do people feel lonely in a crowd? This is a result that does not suit Turkish culture, the wisdom of Anatolia.”
Prof. Dr. Nazife Güngör: “The issue is not just becoming lonely when getting old, the issue is that every individual starts to prefer loneliness from the moment personality begins to form.”
Prof. Dr. Ebulfez Süleymanlı: “16% of the elderly in Turkey live alone. This rate increases to 23% for elderly women.”
The “International Loneliness Symposium,” held for the sixth time this year by Üsküdar Üniversitesi with the main theme of “Aging and Loneliness,” took place at the Üsküdar Üniversitesi Central Campus Nermin Tarhan Conference Hall.
The opening speeches of the congress, which was also broadcast live on ÜÜTV and Üsküdar Üniversitesi's YouTube channel, were given by Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, Founding Rector and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Üsküdar Üniversitesi, Prof. Dr. Nazife Güngör, Rector of Üsküdar Üniversitesi, and Prof. Dr. Ebulfez Süleymanlı from the Department of Sociology, Chairman of the Symposium Organizing Committee.
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan: “A result that does not suit Turkish culture, the wisdom of Anatolia”
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, Founding Rector and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Üsküdar Üniversitesi, referring to the phrase "crowded loneliness" chosen by the Turkish Language Association, said, “The phrase ‘crowded loneliness’ was chosen as the word of the year. This was actually a big surprise. It was a good coincidence that it coincided with the theme of our congress. This means that the need for the congress was very high. Why was this word chosen in Turkey? After all, as a society, we are a society with very close-knit relationships. We are a society that drops by neighbors unannounced. Why did it turn out this way? Why do they feel lonely in a crowd? This is a result that does not suit Turkish culture, the wisdom of Anatolia.”
Elderly suicides…
Noting that Japan is where elderly suicides are most common in the world, Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan said, “This is increasing all over the world. This is a bitter truth, a global truth. In England, a person who died at home years ago was found dead at home 3 years later. No one had called or checked on them. Manchester University and BBC, in their loneliness and happiness study, ask a question about loneliness. The rate of those who say ‘I feel very lonely’ is 27% among those over 75, and 40% among those aged 16-24. In other words, young people aged 16-24 feel very lonely.”
Increased fear, decreased trust are the visible psychological causes of loneliness…
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan said, “The most important factor in the increase of loneliness is the weakening of trust in society. Where trust weakens, a person feels lonely. Trust occurs in close relationship experiences. A person must be sure that they will not be betrayed. We used to call the family a ‘nest of love’; now we call it a ‘nest of trust’. Wherever a person feels safe, they are at peace. Where there is trust, fear decreases. The increase in fear and the decrease in trust are currently among the most prominent psychological causes of loneliness.”
Tarhan, also pointing to the importance of the concept of 'dost' (friend) in our culture, stated, “There is no equivalent for the word "dost" in English. There is an equivalent for the word "dost" in Turkish.”
Friendship, a medicine with no side effects…
Tarhan, also stating that people withdraw into themselves when trust weakens, said, “Many parents raise their children this way. When a child is raised with the mantra ‘Don’t trust anyone,’ loneliness emerges. I believe that if efforts are made to resolve the trust issue, we will approach an important root cause related to loneliness. Therefore, loneliness is a growing problem, but the medicine without side effects is friendship. It relieves pain, has no side effects. It helps with depression. Friendship is such a medicine that it helps with depression but does not sedate a person. It relieves pain, causes no side effects. So, it's a serious medicine.”
Prof. Dr. Nazife Güngör: “Loneliness is a very important problem of our age”
Prof. Dr. Nazife Güngör, Rector of Üsküdar Üniversitesi, stated that loneliness is a very important problem of our age, saying, “I believe that especially with modernization and the urbanization that began with it, loneliness has become a human problem, a societal problem. Because with the masses flocking to cities, and crowds forming in cities, loneliness actually began to form as well, and people started to be alone. This actually seems like a contradiction. On one hand, you are in crowds, but on the other hand, everyone in those crowds is actually lonely in a way.”
“Now, virtualization has also entered the process of becoming lonely”
Prof. Dr. Nazife Güngör, also noting that each of us actually lives in a dreadful crowd, said, “Now, virtualization has also entered the process of becoming lonely. Now, each of us, on one hand, is actually solitary within our own crowds. We are not truly within friendships and relationships. We have been deprived of those relationships. But on the other hand, we are in a strange situation within virtual crowds. There is no touch, no flow of emotion, no flow of spirit, no meaningful relationship. This also brings a very big crisis of trust. On one hand, we are all distrustful.”
The issue is not becoming lonely when getting old, but choosing it with personality formation…
Prof. Dr. Nazife Güngör said, “The issue is not just becoming lonely when getting old; the issue is that every individual starts to prefer loneliness from the moment personality begins to form, loneliness starts to be preferred within the family, and loneliness starts to be preferred within society. This, perhaps, is also becoming an ideology; becoming lonely, making others lonely.”
Prof. Dr. Ebulfez Süleymanlı: “The proportion of the elderly population within the total population reached 10.2 percent as of 2023”
Prof. Dr. Ebulfez Süleymanlı, Chairman of the Symposium Organizing Committee from the Department of Sociology, stated that the population over 60 years old is rapidly increasing worldwide, adding, “In Turkey, the proportion of the elderly population within the total population reached 10.2 percent as of 2023.”
Prof. Dr. Ebulfez Süleymanlı, stating that the number of elderly people living alone in their homes is gradually increasing, said, “16% of the elderly in Turkey live alone. This rate increases to 23% for elderly women. Other factors such as the death of one spouse, the changing traditional family support system for the elderly, and the elderly not wanting to be with younger generations, lead to an increase in the number of our elderly living alone.”
Prof. Dr. Ebulfez Süleymanlı, also pointing to the increase in emotional loneliness, stated, “Research shows that elderly individuals who do not receive sufficient attention and love from their families can feel lonely even when they are with family members. Because family members are busy in their work lives, even if they are in the same house, elderly people staying alone for long periods – I am referring to the elderly – the indifference and abuse from their relatives, and unfortunately even domestic violence and the resulting feeling of worthlessness, are seen as the main causes of this situation.”
Loneliness is a risk factor that increases the likelihood of stroke
Prof. Dr. Ebulfez Süleymanlı, explaining that studies show the increase in chronic loneliness is serious not only for the elderly but also for other age groups, and is linked to decreased trust in other people, said, “This state of loneliness observed in the elderly, in scientific studies, indicates that long-term loneliness causes various physical and mental ailments in the elderly, can be, and even is, a risk factor increasing the likelihood of stroke, and that shrinkage is observed in the memory regions of their brains, which can lead to the development of many diseases such as memory loss and dementia.”
Are we ready for lonely old age?
In the First Session, moderated by Dr. Lecturer Nihan Kalkandeler Özdin, Prof. Dr. Erol Göka from Health Sciences University Faculty of Medicine Ankara Bilkent City Hospital presented “Are We Ready for Lonely Old Age? Is It Bad?”, Prof. Dr. Harun Ceylan from Yalova University presented “Aging and Loneliness in Europe”, Bülent Karakuş from the Ministry of Family and Social Services Directorate General for Services for Persons with Disabilities and the Elderly presented “Lonely Elderly and Services Provided”, Film Director Orhan Emek presented “The Theme of Loneliness and Aging in Turkish Cinema After the 2000s”, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Serap Bayram from Düzce University presented “Loneliness and Its Effects in Older Adults”, and Dr. Lecturer Sıla Ayam from Gelişim University presented “Innovative Interventions for Loneliness in the Elderly”.
Prof. Dr. Erol Göka from Health Sciences University Faculty of Medicine Ankara Bilkent City Hospital pointed out that the average life expectancy continues to increase and a significant portion of the elderly experience chosen loneliness, stating, “As Turkey, we have entered the category of very old countries.”
“Loneliness of the Elderly in Turkey: Research Results” Announced
At the symposium, “Loneliness of the Elderly in Turkey: Research Results” were announced by Prof. Dr. Ebulfez Süleymanlı, Dr. Lecturer İdil Arasan Doğan, Dr. Lecturer Nihan Kalkandeler Özdin, and Hale Aslı Kılıç from Method Research Company.
800 Elderly Interviewed in 30 Provinces
The research, conducted with the aim of “examining loneliness levels in the elderly in terms of certain variables, and identifying the meaning and causes of loneliness,” was carried out through face-to-face interviews with 800 people (400 women, 400 men) in 30 provinces across Turkey between October and December 2024.
Only 3 out of 10 elderly people do not feel lonely!
68 percent of the participants, the youngest of whom was 60 years old, were married, while 32 percent were single, widowed, or divorced. To the question “How lonely do you feel?” 34 percent of the participants said they ‘do not feel lonely’, 34 percent said they ‘sometimes feel lonely’, and 32 percent said they ‘often feel lonely’. In the same research conducted in 2022, the rate of those who ‘did not feel lonely’ was 36 percent, the rate of those who ‘often felt lonely’ was 34 percent, and the rate of those who ‘sometimes felt lonely’ was 30 percent.
Who feels lonelier?
Among the participants in the research, 25% of married individuals, 47% of single, widowed, or divorced individuals, 31% of those with children and 46% of those without children, 57% of those living alone and 25% of those not living alone, 31% of those with pets and 32% of those without pets feel lonely. 40% of those who do not feel healthy, 19% of those who feel healthy, 57% of those with chronic illnesses, and 45% of those who receive support from relatives state that they feel lonely.
What comes to mind when you hear "loneliness"?
To the question “What comes to mind when you hear "loneliness"?” 85% of the participants expressed negative emotions such as “boredom, anxiety, unhappiness, being alone, bad/pessimistic.”
What do they do in their free time?
When looking at what participants do in their free time, 98% responded with individual activities, 54% with outdoor activities, 47% with communication-focused activities, 30% with spiritual activities, 30% with personal development, 15% with sports activities, and 9% with artistic activities.
When looking at the number of friends with whom they regularly communicate, 42% of participants responded with 4 or more people, 22% with 2 people, 18% with 3 people, 10% with 1 person, and 9% said they had no friends.
People confided in / chatted with
When looking at the people confided in/chatted with, 54% of participants responded with friends, 32% with children, 27% with spouse, 16% with siblings, 13% with neighbors, 11% with relatives, 2% with mother, 1% with daughter-in-law, 1% with partner, and 1% with son-in-law. When looking at genders, 46% of women and 62% of men said ‘friends’.
Isolations related to loneliness syndrome
Within the framework of isolations related to loneliness syndrome, 62% responded positively to the perception of being in interaction with society, 45% responded positively to the perception of not being understood by close relationships, and 68% responded positively to the perception of having reliable relationships in terms of inadequate social connections.
The person who brings the most happiness in life
When looking at the person who brings the most happiness in life, 56% of participants responded with “children”, 35% with “grandchildren”, and 34% with spouse. From a gender perspective, 68% of women responded with “children”, while 44% of men responded with “spouse”, 44% with “children”, and 29% with “grandchildren”.
Loss of a loved one
When looking at the loss of a loved one, 57% of participants responded “yes”. Among those who said yes, 27% were relatives, 21% were siblings, 20% were spouse, 20% were mother, 15% were friends, 14% were father, 9% were neighbors, and 5% were children.
25% of those with living spouses and 49% of those with deceased spouses also said they felt lonely.
6 out of 10 people have a WhatsApp account
When looking at social media accounts, 54% of participants have a social media account. Among these, 58% say they have a WhatsApp account, 55% Facebook, 43% Instagram, 19% YouTube, 8% Twitter, 5% TikTok, and 1% Telegram.
28% of those with social media accounts also state that they feel lonely.
Perception of quality of life
The perception of quality of life was also examined in the research. To the question “How anxious are you about how you will die?” 48% responded at a low level, to “How satisfied are you with the amount of activities you do regarding social participation?” 40% at a moderate level, “How satisfied are you with your opportunities to lead a successful life?” 42% at a moderate level, “To what extent do you believe you can do what you want to do?” 44% at a moderate level, “To what extent do you experience and feel love in your life?” 44% at a low level, and to “To what extent do losses in your senses of hearing, sight, taste, smell, and touch affect your ability to participate in daily activities?” 49% responded at a low level.
Life satisfaction…
In the research that also covered life satisfaction, 42% of participants responded “Satisfied”, 23% “neither satisfied nor dissatisfied”, 19% “very satisfied”, 8% “Not at all satisfied”, and 7% “dissatisfied”.
The panel “Gerontological Approach to the Phenomenon of Loneliness: Biopsychosocial Support and Social Participation” was held.
The panel “Gerontological Approach to the Phenomenon of Loneliness: Biopsychosocial Support and Social Participation” will also be held as part of the symposium. In the panel moderated by Dr. Lecturer İdil Arasan Doğan, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Yüksel Erdal from Bezmialem Hospital, Eyüp Municipality Social Services Manager Öznur Sarıahmetoğlu, Tuğçe Tıngır from Şişli Municipality, and Ümmügül Geyik from the Turkish Alzheimer Association gave speeches.
The afternoon session of the symposium was held online. In the session moderated by Prof. Dr. Ebulfez Süleymanlı, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Farogat Fayzieva from Alisher Navoi Tashkent State University of Uzbek Language and Literature will present “The Problem of Loneliness Among the Elderly in Uzbekistan as One of the Social Risk Areas of the 21st Century”, and Dr. Natalia Bolshakova from Ufa University of Science and Technology will present “The Role and Potential of Foster Families in Overcoming Loneliness of the Elderly in Russia”. In addition, presentations on “Main Causes of Lonely Old Age in Kazakhstan: Sociological Analysis”, “Aging, Loneliness and Social Work in Azerbaijani Society” and “An Assessment of the Relationship Between Aging and Loneliness in Kyrgyz Society” were also held.