Factors affecting quality of life in geriatric people

This study was done to determine factors affecting quality of life, to analyse the correlation between these factors and to inform the health equipment that work on this issue for elderly people that live in nursing homes or with their family. It was included in the study 96 persons whose age avarage was 72.5±6.71 years old. These older peoples? sociodemographic characteristics, cognitive function, balance, fear of falling, physical activity level and lower extremity muscle force have been evaluated. A questionnaire has been administered to determine the sociodemographic characteristics of older people. The participants? cognitive function has been evaluated by Mini Mental State Test; balance by Berg Balance Scale; fear of falling by Tinnetti Falls Efficacy Scale; physical activity level by Physical Activity Scale and lower extremity muscle force by manuel muscle test. Quality of life of female individuals was lower compared with male individuals, quality of life of older people who has high body mass index was lower and older people who have more fear of falling and falling problems had lower quality of life (p<0.05). Older people who have high physical activity level were found to have higher quality of life (p<0.05). Older people who have higher scores of Berg Balance Scale, Mini Mental State Exam and have better lower extremity muscle force had higher quality of life (p<0.05). It has been found out that there were no correlations between quality of life and educational status, marital status, social security status, income. It has been found that the number of drugs which were used by older people increased, quality of life decreased (p<0.05). Due to the results of logistic regression models in order to find out the variations affecting the quallity of life most, it has been showed that fear of falling, number of falls and body mass index entered into the model. İn our study it has been found that fear of falling, number of falls and body mass index incresed, quality of life in older people decreased. According to our study data to increase the quality of life of older people, whose numbers and rates in the community are considered will increase rapidly in the future, the rehabilitation programs should be planned and applied to prevent fear of falling and falling problems in elderly.Keywords: old age, ageing, quality of life