Mental Health of Elderly Women: A Qualitative Study

Background: Iran is experiencing aging and it is necessary to pay attention to the health of this vulnerable group. Mental health is one of the important aspects of elderly health and older women are more susceptible to mental health disorders. Therefore, the present study aimed to explore the mental health status of elderly women.Methods: The present study was a qualitative study using custom content analysis method. Thirteen elderly women were selected from the parks and cultural centers of the elderly by purposeful sampling and were interviewed in depth. Interviews were recorded with the permission of the elderly and then analyzed and transcribed to gain a comprehensive understanding of them. The validity of the findings was evaluated on the basis of validity, reliability, and transferability criteria.Results: Five main themes of feeling lonely, worrying about children, feeling of homogeneity and past regret have been identified as elderly mental health problems. From the viewpoint of the elderly studied economic status, lack of leisure facilities and lack of job stability of children are the most important factors affecting their mental health status.The message for policymakers: Mental health problems in older women are affected by their living conditions. Government agencies should have adequate planning for leisure time for older women. Creating inter-generational employment in families by partnering with children and elderly mothers by providing financial facilities can also reduce the concerns of older mothers about their children s employment, and can also enhance the morale of the elderly by creating a family-friendly environment.

Keywords:

Elderly , Women , Mental Health