Tekijät

• Jylhä, Marja (University of Tampere. School of Health Sciences)

Asiasanat

ageing, care of dependants, care of the elderly, elderly, health, home help, old age, physical mobility, residential care, social interaction

Sisällön kuvaus

The survey studied longevity and the oldest-old by charting the care, everyday life, and physical activity and capability of people aged 90 and over living in Tampere.

The respondents who lived at home were asked what kind of housing they lived in (e.g. ordinary home, sheltered housing), who they lived with, whether someone helped them at home, who helped them the most with everyday tasks, and whether a housekeeper or home helper visited them regularly.

The rest of the questions were asked from both those respondents who lived at home as well as the ones in institutional care. These questions surveyed when the respondents had last been out of the house/apartment/room, whether they used any mobility aids when moving about outside, how well the respondents were able to move and do everyday activities (e.g. walk 400 metres, use the stairs, dress and undress, and get in and out of bed), what their health status was like, whether they experienced tiredness or dizziness, which illnesses diagnosed by a doctor they had, and how well they were able to hear and see.

Finally, the respondents were asked when they had last met their children, when they had last talked on the phone with someone close to them, how satisfied they were with their life, whether the circumstances of old people were better or worse than before, and what they thought would have been the best housing type for them a the time of the survey.

Background variables included the respondent's gender, marital status, and education as well as variables charting where the respondent was at the time of responding (e.g. ordinary home, old people's home, hospital) and who responded or aided in responding to the survey; the respondent him/herself, a family member, relative or acquaintance, or a home helper.