Quality Of Life of Elderly People and Assessment of Facilities Available in Old Age Homes of Lucknow, India

Abstract

Introduction: The old-age home industry is mostly unregulated and there is a need for putting in place certain minimum standards. Many times poor and destitute persons who may need institution-based care cannot afford them.Long-term care has a price, and there is also a need for debate on its policy and best practice.

Objective:The objectives were to study the quality of life of elderly people, to assess the facilities available and the factors associated with elderly people for availing the residential services of old age homes.

Methodology: It was a descriptive cross-sectional study. Study population was elderly (age ≥60 years) enrolled in public and private old age homes (OAHs) of Lucknow city. All the elderly living in OAHs for ≥ 6 months and had given the consent for interview were included in the study.

Results:The most important reason for elderly people living in public OAHs was no care taking person at home (77.1%) and private OAHs it was (36.4%). Services like medical services, recreational facilities, safety, space availability and staff availability were significantly better (p <0.05) in private type of OAHs. In public type OAHs 85.7 percent inmates had quality of life below average whereas in paid OAHs 63.6 percent inmates had average or above average quality of life.

Conclusions:No care taking person at home was the important reasons in OAHs. With the exception of food all the variables like Medical service, Recreational facilities, Safety, Space availability, Staff availability were significantly better in private OAHs. Quality of life in private OAHs was significantly better than public OAHs.