|
KMID : 1147520100030010049
|
|
Korean Academy of Basic Medicine & Health Science
2010 Volume.3 No. 1 p.49 ~ p.54
|
|
|
Social Support and Quality of Life Elderly People in a Nursing Home of Rural Area
|
|
Kim Hyun-Joo
|
|
|
Abstract
|
|
|
|
Owing to recent advances in the field of medical sciences and the standard of living the average span of life is steadily increasing. This in turn increases the proportion of elderly people and causes many social problems. The increase in the average span of life is very positive but it is not sufficient. It should be considered with the quality of life. To maintain a good quality of life in the elderly we should meet physical, psychological, and social needs specific for the elderly people. Factors closely related to the quality of live in the elderly are physical health, economic or occupational status, and social support system, such as marital or familial status, friends, social activity, and religion. Positive social relationships and active social activities will have a good influence on the quality of life in the elderly. The aim of this study was to find measures to improve social support system and thereby improve the quality of life in the elderly people by surveying 82 elderly people over the age of 65 residing in a nursing home of a rural area. The degree of social support was measured with 20 questions which were answered from 1 to 5 (range of score: 20 to 100). As results the total score ranged from 26 to 98 (average: 65.4). This means the social support is poor despite relatively high numbers of offspring. The problem is likely to deepen with the increase of nuclear family in the future and measures of social or national level are needed. The quality of life was measured in 5 fields (mobility, self-care, daily activity, pain/discomfort, and anxiety/depression, each scored in 3 degrees) with Euro QOL. 60% of people complained of pain/discomfort and 50% appealed anxiety/depression, these problems are generalized in the elderly rather than specific for the some. 30% complained of limitation of mobility, 20% limitation of daily activity, 15% limitation of basic self-care activity such as bathing or wearing clothes. So this means the concept of healthy life span is more important than the average span of life itself. We need to develop measurement instruments to evaluate the health status or quality of life in the elderly and social measures or policies to improve the quality of life in the elderly people.
|
|
|
KEYWORD
|
|
|
Quality of life , Social support, Elderly people
|
|
|
FullTexts / Linksout information
|
|
|
|
|
|
Listed journal information
|
|
|
|
|