{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,27]],"date-time":"2026-10-27T02:02:21Z","timestamp":1793066541089,"version":"4.5.0"},"reference-count":56,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"23","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2022,11,28]],"date-time":"2022-11-28T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1669593600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Research Grants Council of Hong Kong","award":["25600200"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["25600200"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["IJERPH"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Despite the growing number of older people who live alone and in poverty, the intersection of these two social risk factors and the impacts on older adults\u2019 health and well-being have not been widely examined. This qualitative study explores the challenges and strengths of 47 older people who live alone and in poverty in Hong Kong. Thematic analysis was used to identify eight themes related to challenges: (i) social isolation and loneliness, (ii) self-esteem and self-efficacy, (iii) declining mobility, health and activity levels, (iv) high medical expenses, (v) age discrimination and long wait times for medical health services, (vi) age discrimination, retirement, and wanting part-time employment, (vii) not enough gender-specific social participation activities, and (viii) housing insecurity. Four themes related to strengths were identified: (i) An \u201cI have enough\u201d mindset, (ii) strong formal social support, (iii) contributing to the community and others, and (v) \u201cMost of us like to be alone.\u201d Successfully addressing poverty in old age and tackling the challenges associated with living alone will require focusing on and activating not only external and systemic resources but also the intrinsic capacities and strengths of older adults themselves. Five discussion points are raised addressing the implications for future gerontological research and practice.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph192315856","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,11,29]],"date-time":"2022-11-29T01:42:02Z","timestamp":1669686122000},"page":"15856","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":10,"title":["\u201cWhat If I Die and No One Notices?\u201d A Qualitative Study Exploring How Living Alone and in Poverty Impacts the Health and Well-Being of Older People in Hong Kong"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"19","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7052-5732","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Crystal","family":"Kwan","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"The Department of Applied Social Sciences, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9737-5188","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ho Chung","family":"Tam","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"The Department of Applied Social Sciences, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,11,28]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (2022, August 01). 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