Turkish Journal of
GERIATRICS

Çukurova Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Aile Hekimliği Anabilim Dalı, Adana
Çukurova Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Psikiyatri Anabilim Dalı, Adana
Çukurova Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Fiziksel Tıp ve Rehabilitasyon Anabilim Dalı, Adana
Çukurova Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Biyoistatistik Anabilim Dalı, Adana The aim was to evaluate the socio-demographic-medical characteristics and daily living activities between the elderly living at the community residence of Adana and those applying to the Family Medicine outpatient clinic at the Faculty of Medicine of Çukurova University. A face to face survey was performed to the elderly, who were 65 years and over, from the community residence of Adana and Family Medicine outpatient clinic between December 2000-January 2002. Mini Mental State Examination Survey (MMSES), Katz daily livings activity and instrumental activity of daily living (IADL) scales were performed. 189 elderly with the mean age of 72.2±6.2 years, 88 of whom were living in the community residence, enrolled to the study. The number of males and females were 107 (%56.6) and 82 (%43.4), respectively. In the community dwelling elderly, the mean age, the level of education, and the number of the men and the single/divorced/widow were higher (p<0.05).The number of alive children was fewer, the frequency of visiting children and relatives was lower, and the ratio of listening radio and reading book was higher in the same group (p<0.0001). The community dwelling elderly were tabocco smokers although the ratio of having chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and chronic heart failure was more (p<0.05). According to the Katz and IADL scales the community dwelling elderly were more dependent on cleaning, shopping, arrival, preparing food, bathing and transferring p<0.01). MMSES score was found to be lower in %20.5 of the elderly from the community residence and %23.8 of those from the outpatient clinic group (p>0.05). In the primary care, it is necessary to carefully follow-up the elderly people who live in the community dwellings due to the advanced old age, life without a bond to families, tobacco smoking even though having chronic disease, and dependency on activities of daily living. Keywords : Old age, Community Dwellings, Activities of daily living, Cognitive state