ABSTRACT

Today, it is thought that the elderly may encounter many psychosocial problems. The research aims to determine these psychosocial needs by the elderly themselves.

Data were collected through focus group interviews, which are a qualitative research method. Twenty elderly people aged 65 and above were interviewed on a voluntary basis. There were six to eight people in each focus group. A questionnaire developed by the researchers was utilized during the interviews.

After the focus group interview, we divided the results into 4 categories (psychological, spiritual, physical, and social needs) and 12 sub-themes: the psychological category contained losses and emotional loneliness, risk of depression, and adaptation to being elderly; the spiritual category contained anxiety about death and beliefs, values, and culture; the social category contained a change in roles, change in expectations, family problems, and loneliness; and the physical category contained physical impairment due to elderliness and illnesses.

Psychosocial problems determined by the elderly themselves will help to plan nursing services for these individuals. Thus, the elderly will be provided with the opportunity to be active in their lives and to control their lives, to increase their quality of life, and to reveal and maintain their existing potential in a positive way.