en عمومى General پژوهشي Research <div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><span style="line-height:2;"><strong>Background:</strong>&nbsp;Social connectedness is a critical determinant of health and quality of life in older adults. Despite its significance, there is limited theoretical understanding of how evolving social needs, cultural contexts, and environmental factors interact to influence well-being in later life. This study aimed to develop the&nbsp;Social Connectedness in Aging Theory, explaining how social interactions shape older adults&rsquo; physical, mental, and emotional health.<span style="line-height:200%"></span><br> <strong>Methods:</strong>&nbsp;A deductive, axiomatic approach was employed to construct the theory. A comprehensive literature review was conducted across PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, JSTOR, ProQuest, and Google Scholar for publications from 2014 to 2024, supplemented with seminal works. Keywords included social connectedness, aging, social networks, interpersonal relationships, community engagement, psychological resilience, and health promotion. Empirical, theoretical, and conceptual studies involving adults aged 60 and above were included. Literature was synthesized into thematic clusters reflecting social networks, emotional quality of relationships, cultural influences, and health outcomes. Four core axioms and corresponding propositions were formulated to capture the multidimensional nature of social connectedness in aging.<br> <strong>Results:</strong>&nbsp;The theory demonstrates that social needs evolve with age, are shaped by environmental and cultural contexts, and directly influence the extent of social connectedness and quality of life. Strong social ties within supportive environments enhance emotional well-being, cognitive function, and physical health. The propositions illustrate how intrinsic social nature, developmental transitions, cultural norms, and environmental factors collectively determine older adults&rsquo; engagement in meaningful relationships and overall well-being.<br> <strong>Conclusion:</strong>&nbsp;This theory provides a comprehensive framework for understanding the dynamic, context-dependent nature of social interactions in older adulthood, positioning social connectedness as a central determinant of healthy aging. Nurses should routinely assess social connectedness (e.g., contact frequency/quality, perceived loneliness, community engagement) and integrate findings into individualized care plans, implement culturally competent interventions such as family- and community-centered care, group activities, referrals, and technology-assisted contact, and collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to remove environmental barriers, document outcomes, and advocate for training and policies that support social connectedness.</span></span></span></div> Aging, Social support, Social networks, Quality of life, Nursing theory development 0 0 http://jccnc.iums.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-1176-3&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Deane Joy E. Agoncillo 100319475328460015216 100319475328460015216 No College of Nursing, De La Salle Medical & Health Sciences Institute, City of Dasmariñas, Philippines Jonaid M. Sadang 100319475328460015217 100319475328460015217 Yes Graduate Studies Department, College of Health Sciences, Mindanao State University-Marawi (Main Campus), Philippines