Social and Psychological Factors Supporting Elderly Men Aged 75 Years or Older Living Alone in an Officially Designated Depopulated Area

The purpose of this study was to clarify social and psychological factors supporting elderly men aged 75 or older who live alone in five towns or villages designated as depopulated areas by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications in the Tohoku, Kanto, Shikoku, and Kyushu regions. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 21 elderly men who lived alone, were capable of self-selection and self-determination, and had no communication disorder. Transcripts of the interview were subjected to content analysis. Results showed that the psychological factors supporting these men could be grouped into 3 core categories: “finding a sense of purpose in life”, “carefree lifestyles without being obsessed with time”, and “a community-based life”. Social factors were divided into two core categories: “acceptance of change in relationships with their children” and “ties with the local community”. The community in the study area became smaller due to depopulation and the aging of residents. Hence, there are limitations to supporting each other among local residents and the potential for them to become socially isolated Maintaining mental health can be regarded as having a large influence on continuing to live alone when the elderly men recognize their physical decline and have to face aging. For them to continue living in the community as they wish until the end, this study’s findings suggest that it is necessary to foster cooperation between the government and professionals who can care for emotional and spiritual needs and to establish a support system for mental health.