This study determines the effectiveness of clay-based group study on the loneliness and hopelessness levels in elderly living alone. For this, while the experimental group will six 1,5 h weekly of clay-based group study and interviewed face-to-face twice, the control group will interview face-to-face twice

One of the most important social changes today is the aging of the world's population. Along with the increasing elderly population, there is a serious increase in the number of elderly living alone. Many problems such as living alone, despair, insecurity, fear, depression, future anxiety, and close relationship longing are seen in the elderly who constitute the risk group in terms of mental health. The communication, social life and support opportunities of the elderly living alone with other people, their environment, relatives, and society are decreasing. Today, loneliness is one of the most commonly experienced psychological symptoms among the elderly. It has been reported that the feeling of loneliness is 80.0% in individuals aged 65 and over, and the age when this feeling is most common is 70 and above. Another of the most common emotions in the elderly is hopelessness. It is recommended to use art therapy, which is a supportive method suitable for a biopsychosocial approach in coping with loneliness and hopelessness. The art type, technique, and materials to be used in art therapy should be compatible with the age, ability, mental and physical development of the person to be applied. It is a substance that can be manipulated and deformed many times due to its clay structure. The person doing the clay works without fear of damaging the object due to the plastic and durable structure of the clay. Due to its advantage of being able to do it comfortably, it is a suitable art form for elderly individuals who are in the period of neurocognitive decline. Under this scope, this study will evaluate the effect of clay-based group study on the loneliness and hopelessness levels in elderly living alone.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Older than 65 years and old,
• To get a score of 19 and above on the Mini-Mental Status examination scale,
• Scoring less than 30 on the Beck Depression scale,
• To score 32 and above on UCLA-LS Loneliness scale,
• To get 4 points or more from the Beck Hopelessness Scale,
• Volunteering to participate in the research

Exclusion Criteria:

• Having a perception disorder that will prevent communication,
• Having a neurological and physical discomfort (paralysis, rheumatoid arthritis, etc.) in their hands,
• Having been diagnosed with any mental disorder

65 Years and older

There is no plan to share to IPD

Without knowing that participants are in the experimental or control group