Quality of life of senior citizens: physical status and social relations

Abstract

This descriptive correlational study provided information regarding the quality of life and related factors, of the elderly in the city of Concepción. The technique used was the social survey. The study population consisted of participants in the “Programa del Adulto Mayor (PAM)” in community health centers of Concepción. The random sample, consisted of 408 adults, 60 years old or over. Two dimensions of the concept of Quality of Life are analyzed: “Physical Aspects” and “Social Relations”. The majority of the study group were women aged 61 to 78 years. The main finding was that they have a “Very Good” perception of the physical aspect of their lives, as well as of their “Social Relations”. A highly significant association was found between their perception of their Quality of Life both in terms of health and social relations and the variables “Family relations” and “Couple Relations”. The findings of this study illustrate the importance of stimulating social interaction and self care in order to strengthen the autonomy of the elderly, thus contributing to the improvement of their quality of life and health.