Old Age And Its Related Problems Considered From An Elderly Perspective In A Group Of Turkish Elderly

摘要

Aim: The aim was to evaluate the elderly health status, existing health problems, and feelings about old age and death in a Turkish communityMethods: The study group consisted of 261 elderly living either in their own homes with family members, or in residential homes between February 2002 and April 2002. Data obtained were recorded on a datum collection, which were evaluated using chi-square (x2) test and percent ratios. Results: The majority of elderly indicated that their health status was "bad" or "not bad" and that they were satisfied with their place of residence (72.8% and 72.8%, respectively). Of those remaining with family members, 64.4% reported satisfaction with the place in which they were living, whereas the rate was only 42.3% in residential care homes (p<0.001). The most frequently reported health problem was hypertension (26.1%). Conclusions: The aging of the population all over the country has not only brought with it new and serious issues, but has also become a national and international health matter to be dealt with as in our country. Introduction Old age has been divided into different groups: biological, physiological, emotional and functional.Biological aging is concerned with changes occurring in the structure and functions of the human body; physiological aging is concerned with individual and behavioral changes; emotional aging describes changes in one’s attitude and lifestyle dependent on one’s self-perception of being old; and finally functional aging is the comparison of individuals of the same age group in terms of those within the group being unable to maintain their functions in society (1).The most obvious manifestations of old age are changes in physical appearance, such as wrinkles appearing on the face; the graying of hair, slowing down of reactions, followed by restriction of movement and sense organs, and proneness to chronic illnesses (2).Advances in science and technology, as well as improvements in health services available, have played an important role in the increasing number of elderly in the world. The 20 th century saw an increase in both anticipated and actual life expectancy figures, a phenomenon described as the ‘aging population’ (1,3).In the industrialized countries of the west, the elderly population in the 1990s was 7-15% of the total population, and is expected to reach 25% by the year 2020 (4). According to the 1985 census, the group of elderly aged 65 and over constituted 4.2% of the population in Turkey. This ratio had risen to 4.3% in 1990, 4.7% in 1995, and is expected to reach 6.3% in 2005 and 7.1% by the year 2010 (5).There are currently 580 million elderly aged 60 and over in the world, and of these 355 million live in the developing countries. Within the last fifty years, the rate of accelerated death in developing countries has visibly decreased, and life expectancy at birth has increased from 41 years in the early 1950s to 62 years in 1990. In the year 2020, life expectancy at birth is predicted to reach 70 (6). Similarly, it has been estimated that the anticipated life expectancy averages at birth in Turkey of 72.7 years for women and 68 years for men in the year 2005 will have risen to 73.8 for women and 69 for men by the year 2010 (5). This increase in the average life expectancy has become a social problem due to the resulting effects made on social life by the industrial revolution.The requirements of individuals change the older they become. By the year 2020, it is anticipated that one in three deaths in developing countries will be through causes related to old age, and that the majority of these deaths will be from non-contagious diseases such as circulation system disorders, cancers and diabetes. As life expectancy increases, so does the risk of some chronic diseases. The elderly become ill more frequently, have to live with more chronic diseases or problems, and are generally trying to fight against several health problems at once, resulting in an inc