Berta Nunes
As partners of a project aimed at helping old people according to their needs, the Health Center of Alfândega da Fé ( situated at the northest of Portugal in a rural mountainous area), did a study to understand the main problems of this group in the area of the project.
We interview 284 persons aged more than 65 years old ( 77% of the total in that area).
We concluded that although old people is an heterogeneous group, most of them (54%) feel sad, depressed and unhappy, 63% have problems in recalling things in their everyday life, 74% have vision problems and 55% hearing problems.
A majority (68% take medicines prescribed by the doctor regularly, and 12% say they have difficulties in remembering how to take them.
When evaluating their autonomy, 15% said they where not able to climb stairs without help, 36% said they could not cook for themselves, and 18% where unable to dress themselves without help.
In this group, 17% leave alone and 44% take care of another old person.
A large group have economic problems (21%) and 17% say they have difficulties in Keeping their house warm during the winter.
So, in conclusion, people in this rural area have many different problems and we as health professionals, in partnership with other institutions in the community, have a lot to do, to help old people to have a better quality of life.