Alienacja i osamotnienie osób starszych w relacjach społecznych

Alienation and loneliness are common and therefore, they present a challenge for modern social sciences and practice. Older people are particularly exposed to this phenomenon. No sense of connection with the family and friends, and weakened social relationships affect significantly the sense of satisfaction from life, social usefulness and the reason to live on. The goal of the text is to present the role of close social relationships in the context of subjective sense of satisfaction from life among older persons. For the purpose of the research, the qualitative strategy with interview and (online) focus group technique were used as well as analysis of online materials regarding older people’s experiences with loneliness. Conclusions: The subjective satisfaction from life is inextricably connected with maintaining close, positive relationships with one’s external environment. For older people in particular, emotional bonds determine directly their motivation to engage in different activities and their optimist view of the future.