Qualidade de vida de idosos com declínio cognitivo

Abstract

This study aims at associating quality of life of elderly patients with cognitive impairment to educational and demographic variables, depressive symptoms, morbidity, social support and ability level. Sixty five elderly, living in the community or in long term care facilities, and their caregivers were inquired. A questionnaire, investigating demographic, health and educational background data, GDS, items from the ISEL, Katz and Pfeffer scales, beyond the self-reported, caregiver's report and compound correction versions of QdV-DA were used. Self-report and compound correction were strongly associated with symptoms of depression and, less incisive, with social support. The caregivers‟ ratings were associated with ability level, especially the ADL's. In the overall sample, there was no difference between elderly and caregivers reports. Stratifying the sample according to depressive symptoms, the equivalence in reports remained among older people with scores above the cutoff point in GDS, however, among those with scores below the cutoff point, caregivers‟ report was lower than self-report. It is possible that depressive symptoms have lowered the self-report, equating it to caregivers' report. Quality of life perception is made through relationship between objective and subjective variables, and self-regulation mechanisms of the self play an important role in the evaluation.