Correlation of Social Support and Religious Orientation With Life Satisfaction in the Elderly

Objectives Population is an ever-increasing phenomenon. During old age, the declining social relationships impact the lifestyle and life satisfaction. The present study investigated the correlation between social support/ religious orientation and life satisfaction among the elderly. Methods & Materials The present study was descriptive and correlational. The subjects included Kermanshah elderly nursing home residents in 2016. The cohort comprised of 126 elderlies (mean 69.76 and standard deviation 9), who were chosen by convenience sampling. The instruments used in this study included the social support appraisal scale, religious orientation scale, and the satisfaction with life scale. Pearson's correlation coefficient and regression and the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) were used for data analysis. Results A significant correlation was established between religious orientation and life satisfaction (P<0.05). Also, a correlation was observed between external religious orientation and life satisfaction 0.077, while that between internal religious orientation and life satisfaction was 0.249 (P<0.05). The correlation coefficient between the internal religious orientation and social support was 0.708, while that between the external religious orientation and social support was 0.374 (P<0.05). However, no correlation was established between social support and life satisfaction. Also, internal religious orientation, external religious orientation, and social support could predict the variance of life satisfaction (R-2=11%). Conclusion Considering the need of the elderly to be supported by their relatives, the increase in social support and adherence to religious orientation could efficiently improve their life satisfaction.