Perfil sociodemográfico e condições de saúde de idosos institucionalizados

Abstract

ntroduction: The fast growth of the elderly population has prompted the scientific community to increasingly focus on this population group in order make research-informed interventions to promote healthy aging.Objective: To identify the sociodemographic and health profile of the elderly people living in non-profit Long Term Care Institutions for the Elderly (ILPI), located in Natal, Rio Grande do Norte. Methods: This is a cross-sectional and quantitative study, carried out with 30 elderly participants. Sociodemographic characteristics were analyzed along with gender, marital status, age, and institutionalization time. Additionally, the use of medications and the cognitive, auditory, visual and overall functional capacity were surveyed. A descriptive analysis was performed using a statistical program to determine absolute and relative frequency of qualitative and quantitative variable. Results: The age of the elderly residents ranged between 60 and 100 years; most were female (63.3%), unschooled (56.7%), single (60%) and childless (67.7%). The prevalent type of institutionalization was compulsory. Most elders were found to be malnourished (66.7%), while 83.3% showed a decrease in functionality and 73.3% presented cognitive decline. Conclusion: The fast increase in population aging is proportional to the demand for long term care facilities for the elderly. As a result, the health system faces the challenge of a larger number of dependent elderly, who often present cognitive decline and nutritional deficiencies. Thus, it is critical to the implement research-informed prevention strategies and to promote activities to improve the health status of the elderly