Thomas and Stryckman wrote a sweeping critique, and two of their points could be particularly damaging to the substance of my text, should they be proven correct. First, they submit that researchers in social gerontology have not produced that many overviews, and in their second point, they contend that I reduce the logic of the scientific approach to mathematical formalization.

This article examines the extent and the meaning of solitude among the aged. A comprehensive study of the foreign, Canadian and Quebec literature was undertaken to prepare this document, but priority was given to the somewhat lesser known investigations originating from Quebec. First, the concepts most often utilized in discussing the phenomena under scrutiny were defined: solitude, social isolation and the feeling of loneliness. Then, the relative importance of each phenomenon was assessed, based on the available data. In order to fully understand the meaning of the facts observed, their causes were also examined. Finally, avenues for future research were proposed. This study suggests that solitude among the elderly is a more complex problem than believed. Even if the isolated and (or) lonely aged are in the minority, this does not mean that all their socio-affective needs are being met. These people spend long periods of time alone and this affects their lives. The problem as such is largely caused by the position the elderly occupy in the society and, in turn, this position probably influences their behaviour. However, gerontologists have scarcely studied this hypothesis. This article then highlights certain aspects of the solitude phenomenon which have so far been overlooked by gerontologists.

A survey conducted amongst 2,3 72 patients of Quebec chronic care hospitals and nursing homes confirms a high rate of restraints usage. There are differences between those centres in their utilization rate and models employed. It seems that acute care hospitals are also using frequently those coercive methods for their patients aged 65 years and older. Restraints are currently used without any written prescription in the patient's chart.

A total of 59 bereaved elderly persons and 20 married elderly persons were asked to complete a series of questionnaires on depression, anxiety and well-being. The bereaved elderly persons were divided into three groups based on the length of time elapsed since the death of the spouse. The results showed that bereaved subjects were more depressed and anxious and that their well-being was generally inferior to their married counterparts; further, their emotional reactions persisted after many months of mourning and finally some of the bereaved seemed more at risk than others. These issues should be examined more thoroughly using longitudinal studies.

This study included 150 subjects aged between 20 and 84, divided into 5 age groups. Analysis of their reproduction and immediate recall work of Rey's complex figure suggested that a) the encoding strategy used during the reproduction phase of this complex figure was not characteristic of a given age, b) elderly subjects reproduced less during the encoding phase and retrieved fewer elements during the recall phase, c) until the age of 74, there was a relationship between the encoding strategy and performance in recall; however, in our subjects aged over 75, memory problems developed differently and the relationship between the encoding strategy and the results in recall became insignificant.