Abstract
Objective: Assess the functional capacity in day-to-day basic activities of elderly people attended to in a Family Health Unit. Methodology: Current transversal study with 76 elderly people was undertaken between September and November 2014 in a Family Health Unit in the town of Nova Russas CE Brazil. The elderly people were interviewed and information on socio-demographic characteristics, health status and the performance of daily basic activities was collected. Data were described and analyzed with EpiInfo 7 and R v2.10.0. Results: The population studied was mostly composed of females (63.1%), aged between 70 and 79 years old (68.4%), widows or widowers (63.2%), with 3 - 4 dependent people at home (60.6%); 96% of the elderly people may be considered independent. Conclusion: Results show that most elderly people are independent in their daily basic activities.
Highlights
Aging in humans is a universal, dynamic and irreversible process which is affected by biological, social, psychological and environmental factors
Current transversal and descriptive study was undertaken with elderly people attended to in a Family Health Unit in the town of Nova Russas, Ceará, Brazil
Its Basic Health Care comprises 11 Family Health Units (FHU) in the six health districts, according to data retrieved from the Municipal Secretary [9]
Summary
Aging in humans is a universal, dynamic and irreversible process which is affected by biological, social, psychological and environmental factors. Normally associated with developed countries, aging is currently a worldwide phenomenon. Demographic estimates reveal that most of the population in developed country in 2025 will consist of elderly people and that by 2050 there will be two billion elderly people on the planet. 34 million elderly people in Brazil by the year 2025, or rather, the country will rank sixth in elderly population [1, 2]. The biological phenomenon of aging, as a natural process in the evolution of living beings, may occur in elderly persons in a unique and particular manner. People do not require total functional capacity to live a healthy life with quality. Aging should not be considered an illness since common diseases at this stage of life may be prevented, diagnosed and treated [3]
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