GOOD QUALITY OF LIFE REQUIRED FOR GOLDEN YEARS

It has been stated that the elderly was more prone to getting into depression as their quality of life decreased. The research conducted by Izmir University of Economics (IUE) Vocational School of Health Services revealed that level of income, lack of education, sedentary life style, and chronic diseases were among the main factors that triggered depression among old people.
A research titled “Depression in the Elderly Living at Nursing Homes and Assessment on Their Quality of Life” was conducted under the coordination of Melahat Kızıl, Lecturer at Izmir University of Economics Vocational School of Health Services. In addition to Kızıl, Prof. Dr. İlgi Şemin, Director of IUE Vocational School of Health Services, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Filiz Öğçe, Head of IUE Department of Nursing, Lecturer Nursun Üstünkarlı, and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Gülem Atabay, Head of IUE Department of Health Management participated in the research as well. The research, which included 74 residents of Izmir Metropolitan Municipality Gürçeşme Zübeyde Hanım Nursing Home who are 65 and over and are able to meet their basic needs on their own, revealed that 29.8% of them did not have depression, 48.6% had mild, and 21.6% had severe depression.
Lecturer Melahat Kızıl indicated that quality of life determined the overall welfare of societies, and the increase in depression had negative impact on quality of life. Kızıl said, “Mainly the health and nursing home employees and the relatives of the elderly need to watch for the signs of depression closely. Quality of life increases along with level of education and income. Exercising also plays an important role in preventing the elderly from getting into depression. Another fact that decreases quality of life is chronic diseases. Therefore, the elderly should be encouraged to do exercising, follow a balanced diet and socialize more.”
‘A Majority of the Elderly Have Depression’
Kızıl stated that 32.4% of the participants did not have any children, and 43.2% had been living there over 7 years. While 36.5% said that nobody ever visited them, 37.8% reported that they would choose their own homes to live if possible. Kızıl said that 67.6% of them had at least one chronic disease. “75.7% of the participants were hospitalized before. 29.7% have difficulty doing daily chores. And 29.8% of them did not have depression, 48.6% had mild, and 21.6% had severe depression,” said Kızıl.