Project Summary
“Bakardadeak” (Solitudes, in Spanish) is the first initiative developed in Gipuzkoa in relation to the study of loneliness among older people. This project aims to respond to the need for a more in-depth and multidimensional knowledge of the ‘solitude’ construct of older people in Gipuzkoa, taking into account their own idiosyncrasies and socio-cultural context, in order to design a different and effective approach to its various facets. The different objective and subjective dimensions that characterise it will be taken into account, as well as the related intrapersonal, interpersonal and social variables, in order to make progress in the identification and implementation of interventions, services and resources that contribute to improving situations of loneliness.
This project was selected in the first call for proposals published in 2018 of the Gipuzkoa Provincial Council’s Adinberri strategy. It was financed by the Department of Economic Promotion, Rural Affairs and Territorial Balance and the Department of Social Policies of the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa.
En Español:
“Bakardadeak” (Soledades) es la primera iniciativa desarrollada en Gipuzkoa en relación con el estudio de la soledad en las personas mayores. Este proyecto pretende dar respuesta a la necesidad de un conocimiento más profundo y multidimensional del constructo ‘soledad’ de las personas mayores en Gipuzkoa, teniendo en cuenta su propia idiosincrasia y contexto sociocultural, con el fin de diseñar un enfoque diferente y eficaz a sus diversas facetas. Se tendrán en cuenta las diferentes dimensiones objetivas y subjetivas que la caracterizan, así como las variables intrapersonales, interpersonales y sociales relacionadas, con el fin de avanzar en la identificación e implementación de intervenciones, servicios y recursos que contribuyan a mejorar las situaciones de soledad.
Project Aims
- To study in depth the reasons, perceptions and impact of situations of loneliness or solitude among older people in Gipuzkoa.
- To know the current situation of loneliness in quantitative terms.
- To evaluate the impact of the interventions carried out by voluntary action initiatives.
- To draw up a political strategy to prevent and deal with situations of loneliness among the older people.
En Español:
- Profundizar en los motivos, percepciones e impacto de las situaciones de soledad en las personas mayores de Gipuzkoa.
- Conocer la situación actual de la soledad en términos cuantitativos.
- Evaluar el impacto de las intervenciones llevadas a cabo por las iniciativas de acción voluntaria.
- Elaborar una estrategia política para prevenir y hacer frente a las situaciones de soledad de las personas mayores.
Project Methods
The project used mixed methods: a qualitative study, which explored the social representations, perceptions and reasons associated with loneliness; a quantitative study to identify profiles of loneliness, its prevalence and its characteristics; an evaluation of the impact of the interventions currently carried out by the initiatives of the voluntary sector; and finally, the elaboration of a Political Strategy that would be innovative both in the Basque Country and in the State, positioning Gipuzkoa at the head in the approach of one of the most relevant social problems.
Outputs
A report summarising the project’s findings, in Spanish, is available here.
The project’s outputs include a series of videos, blog posts and a webinar.
Vídeos:
The project developed a series of videos on the first hand experiences of loneliness among older people in Gipuzkoa (in Spanish):
Blog posts:
Webinar recording: