Assessment of functional capacity of older adults living in nursing home

Abstract

Introduction: Aging is a process of progressive changes that affect physical functioning, and this is the best health indicator of the adult population.

Objective: To make a diagnosis of the functional capacity of older adult residents of nursing homes in southern Jalisco.

Methodology: A cross sectional, descriptive, prospective study in older adults was conducted, in whom Barthel scale was used to assess their ability to perform ten basic activities of daily living. The sample was not random for convenience. Informed consent was obtained. Descriptive statistics were used, chi-square test for comparisons between sexes. Differences were considered statistically significant at p ≤ 0.05.

Results: The sample consisted of 111 older adult. The mean age was 81 years, 27.9 % showed complete independence, 28.8 % mild dependence, 14.4 % moderate, 18 % severe and 10.8 % total dependence. There was no statistically significant sex differences (p = 0.36). The basic activities with the highest number of total independent subjects were eating, grooming, dressing, micturition and defecation continence, moving and walking; going up and down stairs and bathing were activities in which subjects showed more total dependence.

Conclusions: 72.1 % of older adult had some degree of functional dependence, which represents an opportunity for nursing care.