The influence of institutionalization on the perception of autonomy
                    and quality of life in old people

Cobo, Carmen María Sarabia

doi:10.1590/S0080-623420140000700008

Objective

To evaluate the influence exercised by institutionalization on the autonomy and perception of quality of life among the institutionalized elderly.

Method

The study is quasi-experimental (interrupted time series) and longitudinal. The sample is composed for 104 elderly people who went into a three nursing home in Santander, Spain. To assess the quality of life and dependence two scales were used: the Barthel Index and Lawton Index.

Results

There was an important relationship between autonomy and independence and their deterioration due to their institutionalisation, such as the physical and social aspects.

Conclusion

It´s important to point out that the dependence of the elderly is a complex phenomenon, which admits many types of intervention, including the customary ones referring to more classic welfare actions which tend to supplant the absence of autonomy in everyday life by facilitating services and attention to make up for this need, without having to resort to institutionalization.

Aged; Personal autonomy; Homes for the aged; Quality of life; Geriatric nursing

[1] *Correspondence: Carmen María Sarabia Cobo.  Nursing School, Cantabria University . Av. Valdecilla s/n 39011 - Santander, Cantabria, Spain . E-mail: carmen.sarabia@unican.es

Variables		Percentages
Age	70-74	19.8
	75-79	48.7
	>80	31.5
Gender	Male	57.1
Gender	Female	42.9
Martial Status	Single	73.2
	Married	12.5
	Widow/er	41.1
	Separated	25.1
Origin	Urban	63.2
	Rural	31.6
	Other	5.2
Lived alone	Yes	62
Lived alone	No	38
Reason for admission	Family conflicts	26.3
	Loneliness	21.1
	Dependence on children	15.7
	Other	36.9
Education	Illiterate	36.8
	Literate	36.8
	Primary	26.3
Income	<300 euros	10.5
	300-600	78.9
	>600	10.5

	N	Minimum	Maximum	Median	SD
Barthel Moment 1	104	85.00	100	92.37	6.31
Barthel Moment 2	97	65.00	100	84.21	9.89

	M 1	M 2
Physical health
Optimun	5%	2%
Moderate	68%	61%
Very slight	27%	37%

Daily activities
No difficulties	10%	6%
A moderate difficulty	69.2%	58.2%
Difficulty in everything	20.8%	35.8%
Mental health
Anxiety
No present	12%	0
Little	13%	11%
Moderate	59.2%	25.8%
Quite	15.8%	42.1%
Intensely	0	21.1%

Brasil

Brasil

The influence of institutionalization on the perception of autonomy and quality of life in old people

A influência da institucionalização sobre a percepção da autonomia e qualidade de vida em idosos

La influencia de la institucionalización sobre la percepción de la autonomía y la calidad de vida en ancianos

Objective

Method

Results

Conclusion