Klaipėdos universitetas

The article presents the phenomenon of the existential loneliness of elderly people. The concept of existential loneliness is analysed from philosophical, theological, psychological and sociological points of view. The existential loneliness of elderly people is treated as a social problem that begins with a decrease in social abilities and individual differences. Signs of existential loneliness and methods of recognition are presented.

The article discusses the possibilities for using cross-border models in the construction of telemedicine devices which use internet connections, and the possibility for placing data ‘in the clouds’. There are such models as the Identifying and Analysing Needs model by Leslie Rae (NIA), the Design Thinking model and the GROW coaching model. The research was based on the rules of the emancipatory-critical paradigm and the triangulation method. The non-reactive research (the unobtrusive measures method) was applied in the first stage, and was based on the NIA and DT models. It was conducted based on the situation of senior citizens in Poland (against the background of the Covid-19 pandemic). In the second stage, research was carried out using a survey. The target of the survey was the elderly and their caregivers. In the third stage, in-depth interviews were conducted with senior citizens about their emotions, needs and fears/concerns. They were conducted in accordance with the GROW model coaching guidelines. The results of all the studies are presented on the basis of the Design Thinking model.