Characteristics of the daily lives of elderly women at various facilities for the elderly

• Published in: Nursing & health sciences 1999-03, Vol.1 (1), p.13-18
• Main Authors: Tada, Toshiko, Yamamoto, Sumiko, Morimoto, Tadaoki
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Activities of Daily Living; Aged - psychology; Aged - statistics & numerical data; Aged, 80 and over; elderly women; Female; Geriatric Assessment; Geriatrics; Home Nursing; Homes for the Aged; Hospitals, General; Hospitals, Special; Humans; Japan; Longitudinal Studies; Needs Assessment; Nursing; Quality of Life; Surveys and Questionnaires; Women - psychology
• ISSN: 1441-0745; 1442-2018
• DOI: 10.1046/j.1442-2018.1999.00003.x

A number of studies have been conducted about support for the daily lives of elderly individuals that will elevate their quality of life (QOL). Services provided to support these individuals have also become more diverse. This study will attempt to add to the understanding of QOL for the elderly by comparing levels of dependence and QOL of elderly women in four different types of institution. Individuals who were over 65 years of age and who were able to participate in a 1 h interview were chosen for this study. The subjects were selected from the elderly population of a hospital for aged patients, health service facilities for the elderly, a nursing home and a general hospital. Levels of dependency of activities of daily living (ADL) were measured using the Kahoku Aging Longitudinal Study Scale. The scale qualitatively evaluates the cognition and activities of the elderly. Each measure is rated on a four point scale. Quality of life was measured using the visual analogue scale. Elderly women living at the nursing home differed from those living in the other facilities in regard to their degree of independence in ADL and QOL. These findings indicate that there were differences in the characteristics of the daily lives of elderly women at different types of facilities.