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Authors:
Kimberly A. Sell, Elaine J. Amella, Martina Mueller, Jeannette Andrews, Joy Wachs, USA
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Abstract:
Objectives: As the older adult population grows, the number of chronic diseases in that population also increases, threatening to become a significant burden on the healthcare system. The purpose of this integrative review was to explore social support and determine the impact that it may have on older adult self-management for use in future interventions to improve quality of life and health in this population. Methods: During the review, the framework of Whittemore and Knafl was used to perform a thorough search, identify articles meeting inclusion criteria, and reduce data into prevalent themes of social support. Results: The results of the integrative review suggest that social support can have a positive impact and that the degree of impact is determined by the quality and type of relationship between the individual and his or her social support. Discussion: Both the limited amount of research in diseases other than diabetes and the lack of focus on older adults suggest that more research endeavors focusing on social support mechanisms are needed to meet the needs of the growing population of older adults with chronic disease.
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