Turkish Journal of Geriatrics
2005 , Vol 8, Issue 2
DAILY LIVING ACTIVITIES, SOCIAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL FUNCTION LEVELS OF OLDER WOMEN LIVING IN CENTRAL MALATYA
Ä°nönü Ãœniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Halk SaÄŸlığı Anabilim DalıAtatürk SaÄŸlık Meslek Lisesi, Malatya This study was done to evaluate the degree of daily living activities, social and psychological well-being of women aged 65 and over in central Malatya.The study was designed as cross-sectional and 530 elderly women were selected randomly by using stratified sampling method from upper, lower and medial socieconomical regions in Malatya municipality. A face to face questionnaire was applied to the women which included items about sociodemographic characteristics, daly living activities, social and psychological functioning. Regarding severe limitations in daily living activities; 25.2 % of the women were limited in doing shopping 14.4 % in bathing and 10.0 % in controlling urination. 26.8 % of the women were moderately limited in stairs climbing. It was determined thet the degree of dependence was getting higher as the age got older and educational level got lower (p<0.05). Of the women, 13.4 % had no contacts with anybody, 26.0 % didn’t visit family or friends even once a month and 19.6 % didn’t have any telephone contacts. I was determined that social functioning got higher as the educational level gor higher. 72.2 % who were not living alone compared to 57.4 % of the women who were living alone had no problem in psychological functioning (p<0.05). Older people require a multidisciplinary and integrated approach covering medical, social and psychological items. Keywords : Older people, Barthel index, Daily living activities, Social, Psychological