This is the first issue this year dealing with important
issues in elderly care. A paper from Eygpt, investigates
the relationship between frailty and health-related
quality of life (HR-QOL) among community dwelling non
demented elderly. The authors stressed that frailty
is a common, heterogeneous, geriatric syndrome associated
with adverse health events. There is a lack of knowledge
concerning the relationship between two multidimensional
variables: frailty and quality of life (QOL). A total
of 115 non demented elderly, 60 years and older recruited
from outpatient geriatric clinic at Al Mansoura General
Hospital, Dakahlia, Egypt. Each participant underwent
Comprehensive geriatric assessment, assessing the health
related Quality of life (HR-QOL) by the RAND-36 health
survey and assessing frailty by Edmonton frail scale
(EFS).
The authors found that frailty significantly correlates
with all the 8 dimensions of the HR-QOL even after controlling
for covariates, also frailty status significantly correlates
with age, education, Body Mass Index (BMI), function,
depression and cognition. By linear Correlation coefficient
a significant correlation between frailty and HR-QOL,
age, function, cognition and depression was found. They
concluded that dimensions of HR-QOL were negatively
affected by frailty and that possible correlates of
frailty status were age, low socioeconomic status, low
body mass index, functional dependence, depression and
cognitive impairment. Effort to improve quality of life
for frail elders in this population is important.
A paper from Dubai looked at
the Health profile of elderly patients registered in
the Elderly Home Based Primary Care. The author stressed
that the proportion of the elderly population in United
Arab Emirates is constantly growing. The aging population
presents a challenge for the public healthcare system.
Accurate health data is required both from an epidemiological
and strategic health care planning perspective. Objectives:
To estimate the prevalence of disease, impairment and
disability among elderly. A retrospective study was
carried out and records of comprehensive assessment
form of elderly patients aged 60 years and over registered
in the elderly home based primary care at Dubai Health
Authority were reviewed and analyzed. The authors found
that the gender ratio of the elderly patients in the
study was 2.1 female: 1.0 male. The mean (SD) age was
78.77 (9.50) years. The majority of elderly patients
(70.4%) had 4 or more multiple chronic conditions. The
most common prevalent disease was hypertension (67.5%),
followed by dementia (57.8), diabetes mellitus (52.4%),
osteoarthritis (45.6%) and cerebrovascular accident
(38.8%). Almost 70% of elderly patients were either
bed bound or chair bound. Functional Assessment (ADL)
showed that, only 5.8% of elderly patients were independent.
The author concluded that this study provides a valuable
insight into the magnitude of disease, impairment and
disability among elderly patients. It revealed that,
the prevalence of multiple chronic conditions is high.
The aging population continues to need high quality
care program, focused on managing multiple chronic conditions
and preventing impairment and disability in order to
improve health and quality of life of elderly.
A paper from Iran looked at
the Impact Factor of Death on Quality of Life of the
Remaining
Women/ Men in the Family in Tehran City. The authors
explores how loneliness is a complex and usually unpleasant
emotional response caused by the death of a spouse in
the family. Lack of companionship due to such an event
impacts the whole quality1 of life of the remaining
spouse with special reference to women, both in the
present and extending into the future. The causes of
loneliness are varied and include social, mental or
emotional factors. The paper explores who the death
of a spouse contributes to loneliness, and is reflected
as a social pain. The research is based on the vulnerability
hypothesis , i.e. "Women are more vulnerable than
men due to the impact of the death of one's spouse".
In completing the research, a total of 584 lonely widows
and widowers were randomly selected, and interviewed
through questionnaires. The paper denotes how the state
of being alone detaches the remaining spouse from others.
A paper from Iraq looked
at ageing predicament and promise. O mankind! if ye
have a doubt about the resurrection,(consider)that We
created you out of dust, then out of sperm, then out
of a leech-like clot, then out of morsel of flesh, partly
formed and partly unformed, in order that we may manifest
(our power) to you; and We cause whom we will to rest
in the wombs for an appointed term, then do We bring
you out as babes, then (foster you) that ye may reach
your age of full strength ;and some of you are called
to die, and some are sent back to the feeblest old age
,so that they know nothing after knowing (much), and
(further), thou seest the earth barren and lifeless,
but when We pour down rain on it, it is stirred(to life),it
swells ,and it puts forth every kind of beautiful growth(in
pairs).This is so, because Allah is the Reality: it
is He Who gives life to the dead, and is He Who has
power over all things.
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