Navigating the delicate and often convoluted maze of the current issues affecting the elderly has continued to present challenges to the professionals in the field especially with the realization that these issues and needs are increasing by the day. Consecutive researches have been initiated over the course of time with a view of finding solutions to the challenges bedeviling the elderly, which include health-related problems, disability, loneliness, loss of spouse, idleness, decline in energy, among others (Whybrow, 1996). A recent study conducted by Bozo et al (2009), and which this paper aims to critique, revealed that such life stressors cause the elderly to nurture feelings of uselessness, inadequacy, and worthlessness. These, according to the researchers, are noteworthy symptoms of major depression. In their study titled ‘Activities of Daily Living, Depression and Social Support among Elderly Turkish People,’ the researchers aimed at critically evaluating the relationship between activities of daily living (ADL) performed by the elderly on the one hand and depression tendencies on the other.
The researchers had formulated three research hypotheses in their attempt to draw a correlation between ADL, social support and depression tendencies among the elderly. Most of the earlier works the researchers related to seemed to suggest that family incompatibility and failure in carrying out ADL occasioned depression tendencies among the elderly, leading to suicide in most cases. However, the researchers set their study to appear rather different than previous studies as they were interested in evaluating the “predictive influence of ADL on depression but not the predictive influence of depression on ADL” (Bozo et al, 2009, p. 195).
The study utilized convenience sampling procedures to come with a sample of 106 elderly people over the age of 60 years. All the participants were selected from the cities of Istanbul, Ankara, and Izmir (Bozo et al, 2009). The researchers were mostly concerned with evaluating how the independent variables of marital standing, gender, educational achievement, and health status affected ADL performance, perceived social support networks, and depression tendencies. A questionnaire schedule was administered for purposes of data collection. The results for this particular study were both interesting and insightful. In an outline format, the malfunctioning of ADL was found to strongly forecast the level and state of depression among the elderly. Second, perceived social support networks were found to have a considerable effect on depression since “lower levels of perceived social support predicted higher levels of depression” (Bozo et al, 2009, p. 200). Finally, the correlation between ADL and alleged social support networks was found to be insignificant.
It is indeed true that depression is one of the current issues facing the elderly people in all countries across the world. The worst part is that depression among the elderly tends to last longer, and is often associated with an increased risk of death due to heart attack or suicide (HealthyPlace.com, 2008). As such, this study was timely in trying to address the current issues associated with depression among the elderly. Of particular significance is the knowledge that engaging in social support networks can greatly assist in reducing depression, and thus suicide (Bozo et al, 2009). This is so because the elderly may have no control over the functioning of their ADL due to such factors as disabilities and frail bones but society certainly has control over integrating the elderly into social support networks such as care homes where they will continually find comfort in each other. The findings are therefore fundamentally important in developing a framework that can be used to address the current issues bedeviling the elderly people.
Another strong point for the study is the questionnaire used to collect data from the field. Indeed, a 5-point Likert-type data collection instrument is best suited to measure attributes in such a category of subjects due to its ease of use and comprehensiveness (Meltzoff, 1998). The elderly needs an easily understandable questionnaire that will take into account their ability to respond to questions while ensuring the validity of data. In this particular study, the Likert-type questionnaire was used to measure levels of physical performance and ADL (Bozo et al, 2009). Third, the researchers scored highly in their decision to undertake a cross-sectional study as it is more representational not mentioning the fact that the results can be generalized to wider populations of elderly people. Fourth, the objective of the study, indicated as evaluating the predictive influence on depression, is very much relevant in modern-day society as all stakeholders need to have adequate knowledge of these extrapolative factors if the elderly people are to be helped on how to cope with the challenges.
However, some reservations arise especially in terms of the population and sample size of the study. First, while the researchers had very viable area of interest judging by the multifaceted issues affecting the elderly people in modern times, they failed to widen their net to include other elders from rural areas since they concentrated in Turkey’s most populous cities (Bozo et al, 2009). It is beyond doubt that a cross-sectional study is representational; but much more appealing results could have been achieved if the needs and conditions of the elderly people from the rural areas and other townships had been factored in. By reading the whole document, one gets a feeling that it was only interested in knowing the association between the above named factors and how they affect the elderly in an urban setting. Indeed, the researchers don’t offer any rationale why they decided to concentrate on the three most populous cities in Turkey.
Second, the sample size was too small for such a study of immense importance. Studies of such nature and magnitude need to have a considerable sample size to ensure that results can be generalized to wider populations (Meltzoff, 1998). Also, the researchers fail to explain how they came up with the variables and their relative importance in measuring the association between ADL, social support networks, and Depression. The variables mostly mentioned are marital standing, gender, educational achievement, and health status (Bozo et al, 2009). Apart from these few shortcomings, this study is a milestone in trying to come up with viable solutions to the issues that continue to affect the aged. The study can be used by home-based care givers, government agencies, and individuals taking care of the elderly people to broaden their understanding about the concepts and issues discussed herein.
Reference
Bozo, O., Toksbay, N.E., Kurum, O. (2009). Activities of daily living, depression, and social support among elderly Turkish people. The Journal of Psychology, Vol. 143, Issue 2, pp. 193-205.
HealthyPlace.com. (2008). Depression in Elderly. Web.
Meltzoff, J. (1998). Critical thinking about research: Psychology and related fields. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. ISBN: 1557984557
WhyBrow, R. (1996). Caring for the elderly parents. New York, NY: Crossroad Publishing Company. ISBN: 0824515587