Personal investment and functional independence in elderly

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The investment in personal life made by elders to get the best quality of life as well as to keep their functional autonomy is a very important factor that contributes to a successful ageing process. OBJECTIVE: To identify the perception of the elders about their investment in personal life, to assess the level of functional autonomy. To analyze associations between social/demographic psychosocial and clinical variables, and the personal investment and functional autonomy. MATERIAL AND METHOD: A transversal, analytical and correlational study of quantitative nature and descriptive profile has been done, with a non-probabilistic sample, constituted by 103 elders. To measure the variables a questionnaire has been applied including a clinical, social and demographic characterization, the Familiar Apgar Scale, the Barthel Index and the Personal Investment Scale. RESULTS: Our sample presents high levels of functional autonomy (40.8%) and investment in personal life (89.3%). The variables that are associated with functional autonomy in a significant way are gender, the place of institutionalization and physical exercise. The ones that are associated with personal investment are the marital status, the home place, the physical activity and the familiar functionality. CONCLUSION: In spite of the high average age of our elders, they show much functionality and moderate investment in personal life, however the variables significantly associated to these constructs are being male gender, being married or living in union of fact, reside in the home itself, practice of regular physical exercise and perceive functional families

RESUMEN

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