The relationship between older people's mental health with their family support and psychosocial well being

The present study was designed to investigate the relationship between older people''s mental health with their family support and psychosocial well being. In this descriptive study، hundred elderly men and women residing in nursing homes and living at home in city of Mashhad were recruited through convenience sampling. They were asked to respond to General health questionnaire (GHQ-28). T-test was used for statistical analyses. This study showed that there is a significant difference between the rates of mental health in people with their family member support and psychosocial well being and no support. It can be concluded that this rate is prominently higher in elderly people with psychosocial and family support (P < 0. 05). No difference was found in mental health between elderly men and women (P > 0. 05). These findings indicated that elderly people without psychosocial and family support (those who resided in nursing homes) suffered from more psychological pathology symptoms than those who lived with their families with appropriate environment.