Characterization of the elderly from a home care program regarding health and functional capacity

• Autor(a) principal: Nagaoka,Caroline
• Data de Publicação: 2010
• Outros Autores: Lemos,Naira de Fátima Dutra, Yoshitome,Aparecida Yoshie
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Geriatrics, Gerontology and Aging (Online)
• Texto Completo: https://ggaging.com/details/268
• topic: Elderly, health vulnerability, geriatric assessment, home care.

<p><b>INTRODUCTION:</b> The growth of the elderly population is a worldwide phenomenon that brings as consequence an increase in morbidities associated with the aging process, which may lead the elderly to the fragility. Then, there is need for the different health services that attends this portion of the population like the home care. The evaluation of the elderly should be done widely, by using specific instruments, and it is important in the context of home care.<br> <b>OBJECTIVE:</b> Characterize the elderly from a home care program regarding health and functionality.<br> <b>METHOD:</b> Quantitative, descriptive and retrospective study, realized with data collected from elderlys medical records that user the Home Care Program for Elderly, from period of elderly's admission in the program until end of 2008. It was used a semi-structured guide to documental analysis. Data were analyzed by simple frequency obtained.<br> <b>RESULTS:</b> It was found that 75.4% of the elderly were 80 years old or more, 77% were semi-dependent for activities of daily living, 50.8% were bedridden, 42% had cognitive impairment, 90.2% had urinary incontinence and 52.4% had at least one fall.<br> <b>CONCLUSION:</b> The elderly from the program showed fragility. Their evaluation by an interdisciplinary team allows interventions that contribute to a better medical care and quality of service.</p>