Background
Women are more likely to live alone as they grow older compared to men. Many older women find themselves ill-equipped to meet the challenges of living alone with social isolation, financial decline and multiple chronic health conditions all impacting negatively on health and wellbeing. The knowledge gap is significant relating to older women living alone, with an absence of proven strategies to maximize their wellbeing while living in the community.
Aim
To profile women aged 55 or older who access home nursing services in Victoria, Australia.
Methods
Data for more than 72,000 women who received care from a home nursing organisation during 2006-2015 were analysed using chi-square tests for independent samples and Kruskal-Wallis H Tests to compare the profiles of women who lived alone and those who lived with others. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify factors that predicted living alone.
Results
Approximately 40% of women lived alone, with significantly more women living alone in 2015 compared with 2006. Women living alone experienced more clinical diagnoses but had lower Charleston Comorbidity Index Scores than those living with others. Women were 70% more likely to live alone if they were aged over 86, and were 80% less likely to live alone if they spoke an Asian language as their primary language.
Conclusion
Older women living alone are at high risk of poor health and social outcomes. This study reinforces the growing complexity of older individuals as they age in place in the community.