Turkish Journal of
GERIATRICS

Selçuk Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi, Halk Sağlığı Anabilim Dalı - KONYA All over the world, with increasing of the older population, elderly situation is increasing too. The older people have many medical problems and by the effect of these problems life is being difficult without dependence, Consequently in the older years, the dependence to somebody is increasing in the activities of daily living. The indexes which have scored of the activities of daily living, expose the dependence and the independence situations of older persons. The aim of this study in the population of 60 years and over is to evaluate the dependence of the activities of daily living (ADL), the prevalence of chronic diseases in two sex groups and years groups, the case of assistive device use and the level of physical disability. Self reported the totally independent in ADL were % 71.2. %36 were totally independence among women, %35 were among men, also the dependence scores of 4,5 and 6 activities were higher among the groups of 70-74 years and 75 years and over. Most common chronic diseases were musculoskeletal system diseases, hypertension, heart diseases, diseases of gastrointestinal, urinary and respiratory systems. The using of walking stick and eyeglasses were increasing among the groups of 70-75 years and 75 years and over. Among the late years of elderly, the measures of physical disability which has included seeing, hearing, speaking, chewing and walking activities were higher, At the late years of elderly to .live with dependence in daily life and physical disabilities are increasing. The medical and social services for older persons must be prepared in our country as in the developed countries and must be presented as the supporting programmes to the older population. Keywords : Dependence, Activities of daily living, Assistive devices, Chronic diseases, Elderly