Avaliação da capacidade funcional e da dinâmica familiar de idosos cadastrados em uma Unidade Básica de Saúde (UBS) em Santo Antônio de Jesus - BA

Abstract

Functional capacity and family functioning are inseparable from healthy aging. Most families and health services are not equipped to deal with the elderly, creating a public health problem and preventing the elderly from enjoying their right to independence. General objective: To verify the functional capacity and family dynamics of elderly people living in Santo Antonio de Jesus-BA, registered at UBS-CENTROSAJ. Methodology: This is a descriptive, quantitative, cross-sectional field study. Data were obtained from the research: “Family development and the elderly: social support network, family dynamics and intergenerational coexistence”. Eighty-seven elderly people and their family caregivers were interviewed. The SPSS program was used to analyze the data, and descriptive statistics and correlations were performed. Results: Household arrangement and family configuration: 23.3% of the elderly live alone or with their spouse; the most prevalent type of arrangement is multigenerational; the vast majority of the elderly consider themselves heads of households. Self-reported health conditions of the elderly: there was a prevalence of high blood pressure. Functional capacity of the elderly in performing basic and instrumental activities of daily living: there was a predominance of elderly individuals who were independent in BADLs and IADLs. Satisfaction of the elderly with perceived social support and family functionality: the elderly have a favorable perception of social support and indications of good availability of affective, instrumental and informational social support (M: 3.3 / SD = 0.7); the Apgar result showed that 83.5% had high family functionality, 9.4% had moderate family dysfunction and 7.1% of the elderly had high family dysfunction. Needs perceived by adults/caregivers who live with the elderly regarding guidance on how to deal with the elderly and attitudes towards living with them: the most prevalent problems related to the elderly were: leaving the elderly alone at home and the difficulty in dealing with the elderly's feelings; the advantages for the adult, pointed out by the same, regarding the fact that the elderly live in their company and the advantages for the elderly, pointed out by the adult, regarding the fact that the elderly live in their company had the company as the most prevalent advantage; difficulties mentioned by the adult living in the same household as the elderly, in relation to the elderly: 50.0% brought up difficult dialogue; issues related to the elderly that the adults pointed out and wished to receive guidance on: 47.1% brought up how to understand/deal with the elderly; Issues related to the elderly that adults pointed out and wanted guidance from: 33.3% brought up the elderly person's pathology and 33.3% brought up healthy lifestyle habits; difficulties of the adult resident with the elderly person in dealing with the elderly person: the most prevalent were: not having support from other family members and having to leave the elderly person at home alone. Considerations: Most elderly people are satisfied with the family dynamics and are independent in the BADLs and IADLs and there is a need for guidance for the elderly and their family members. Thus, there is an incentive to value health education as a strategy for better adaptation of care provided to the elderly.