Referred morbidity and functional capacity of the elderly

Abstract

This is a descriptive cross-sectional study, which aims to describe the morbidities reported by elderly individuals and analyze their influence over the individuals’ functional capacity. The sample consisted of 47 elderly individuals aged over 60 years, who were assisted at the geriatric clinic of a public hospital in 2001, in Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil. Data were collected by consulting patient records and by interviewing elders/caregivers, using a functional capacity assessment instrument. Sociodemographic characteristics revealed a feminization of aging, an average age beyond life expectancy in Brazil, there were more widows than widowers, more illiterate women than men, and most had their retirement pension as the main financial resource. In terms of functional performance, urinary incontinence and stroke (cerebrovascular accident-CVA) were the least reported morbidities, but with the highest interference on the basic activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL). Women reported a greater number of morbidities and higher interference to their ADLs. Our results highlight the need to evaluate the functional capacities affected by morbidities, with a view to maintain and improve the quality of life of the elderly. Key words: Health of the Elderly. Aging. Motor activity. Morbidity.