Tekijät

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

Asiasanat

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

Sisällön kuvaus

Vitality 90+ is a multidisciplinary research project examining living arrangements, health and functional ability, quality of life, care needs and everyday life of the oldest old individuals in the city of Tampere, Finland.

Participants living at home were asked who they live with and whether someone helps them at home with tasks such as dressing, bathing, and cooking. Personal assistance was further investigated by asking who helps the most at home in daily life and whether a home care worker visits at least once a week. Additionally, participants were asked what they consider to be the best form of housing in their current situation.

The functional ability of all respondents was assessed by asking if they can move indoors, walk 400 meters, climb stairs, dress themselves, and get in and out of bed. Morbidity was investigated by asking if the participants have any doctor-diagnosed diseases and how they rate their own health. Information was also collected on the participants' vision and hearing abilities, as well as symptoms such as fatigue, dizziness, and pain.

The social relationships of the participants were examined by asking about their marital status and mapping out when they last met their children, talked on the phone with relatives or friends, or went outdoors. Socioeconomic status was investigated by asking what occupation the participants held for most of their working life and their highest level of education completed.

Finally, participants were asked how satisfied they are with their lives, whether they feel lonely, and if the status of older people has changed since their childhood. Since proxy respondents were allowed in the study, participants were also asked whether they had completed the survey themselves.

Background variables in the dataset include the participant's gender, marital status, and education.