QUALIDADE DE VIDA NA TERCEIRA IDADE: uma avaliação na cidade de Varginha

Abstract

Quality of life is a topic that, in recent times, has been gaining space every day in our environment, however, the interest in researching and evaluating the quality of life of the elderly is still incipient and fragmented in our society. Thus, the present study aimed to assess the quality of life of the elderly population in the city of Varginha, that is, individuals over the age of 60 residing in Varginha. The study was carried out through partnerships with public and private schools working with 8 grade students, where they would each interview an elderly person. The instruments used to carry out the study were the questionnaires: The MOS 36 Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) and Lawton's scale, both trusted by the scientific community. Nine items related to quality of life were evaluated: Functional capacity, Physical aspects, Pain, General health status, Vitality, Social aspects, Aspect. emotional, mental health and degree of independence to perform activities of daily living. The number of elderly people interviewed refers to a 95% confidence level in relation to the total elderly population in the city of Varginha, which is approximately 9000. The results obtained were satisfactory, especially with regard to the independence of the elderly, where the vast majority were independent in carrying out activities of daily living. It can also be seen that despite the good results, there is a very large index of elderly people who report some type of pain and that this pain interferes in their life in some way. However, even with the pain, deficient item, it did not interfere in the general average of the quality of life of the elderly population, where the other items remained at good and excellent levels.