EVALUATION OF THE INDEPENDENCE OF OLDER ADULTS ATTENDED BY A FAMILY HEALTH STRATEGY

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate independence and its relation with mood and self-perception of health, through cross-sectional research with 119 older adults attended by the Family Health Strategy in the Municipality of Pimenta, Minas Gerais, in 2011. A structured questionnaire was used applied in the participants’ homes, containing socio-demographic questions, the Katz scale, the Lawton Brody scale and the Geriatric Depression scale. The majority of the older adults did not present mood changes and there was an association (p 0.05) between this scale and functional capacity; the older adults who demonstrated mood change were independent for activities of daily living and instrumental activities of daily living. A predominance of positive self-perception of health was observed among independent older adults. The older adults presented, predominantly, preservation of their independence without significant changes of mood, factors which are indispensable for active and healthy aging.

Keywords

• Health of the older adult
• Routine activities
• Health services for older adults
• Nursing