This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Older parents can experience loneliness, emotional distress and a loss of purpose when their children leave home, according to a new pilot study by the University of Hertfordshire. The research by University of Hertfordshire social work researcher Professor Denise Turner is among the first to examine the impact of the "empty nest" on older adults in the U.K.
Turner has authored an article soon to appear in The Conversation, expanding on her analysis of a pilot study of 53 people, predominantly age 60 and older. Details of the study initially appeared in the British Journal of Social Work. Turner said, "The 'empty nest' has particular resonance for higher education, where, every year, thousands of young people leave their parents to come and study.
For many of them this is the first time they will have been childless at home for many years." While some survey participants described their children leaving as a positive transition that brought greater freedom, independence and opportunities for self-reflection, others reported significant emotional difficulties. Those most vulnerable included people living alone, single or widowed parents, and those who had already experienced bereavement, relationship breakdown, poor health or other major life changes. Turner found that children leaving home can disrupt everyday routines and social contact while also removing an important source of identity and purpose.
For some older parents, the transition appeared to compound existing loneliness or social isolation rather than being an isolated life event. "My research suggests that people's experiences vary considerably. Participants under 65 were more likely to identify positive aspects of the empty nest than those age 65 and older, while married participants reported more positive experiences than those who were single, divorced or widowed," she added.
More than 26% of respondents said there was an urgent need for greater support and information for people going through the transition. Turner argues that the empty nest is an overlooked stage of life that deserves greater recognition from social workers and other professionals supporting older people. Unlike new and expectant parents, who routinely receive information and support around major changes in family life, older parents are rarely offered help to prepare for their children leaving home.
The research suggests social workers could identify the empty nest as a potential point for early intervention, particularly where it coincides with loneliness, depression, reduced social networks or other vulnerabilities. She also highlights the need for greater recognition of the experiences of groups that have received little attention in previous research, including older men and single parents. The study acknowledges its limitations, including its small sample and the fact that most participants were white British women recruited through an online forum.
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