Survey of Occurrence of Risk Gerontological Factors in Insurants Treated by Nurses fromAgencies of Home Health Care

Overview

A survey of risk gerontological factors, which were the reason for providing the home health care, was carried onin the sample of one hundred insurants in the period 2002–2003. One risk factor, predominantly poor healthcondition, was present in 10 % of the sample. 90 % of the sample included individuals of the older and advancedage who accumulated two or more gerontological risk factors. Poor health status, i. e. the medical factor, whichwas present at all individuals was often combined with the social factors like loneliness, lack of self-sufficiency,lack of children and high age. The presence of risk factors, especially their accumulation, causes not only thedeterioration of quality of life but also increases need and consumption of health and social care and also thenecessity of placement at a facility of health or social care which is accompanied with higher financial expenses.Early detection and log-term follow-up of individuals with risk gerontological factors or at risk situations mayprevent or postpone the development of dependency and necessity of providing the care by another personeventually placing into an in-patient facility. Activities of home health care agencies are undoubtedly the importantservice for elderly handicapped individuals which often postpone the indication of placement into an in-patient facility, significantly improve the quality of life of elderly people in their own home environment covering the needof the other person care. Therefore, individuals with risk gerontological factors should be in a permanent andactive dispensary care of a general practitioner in particular, with the aim of postponing the development of lackof self-sufficiency and dependency with all consequences, with the aim of helping elderly people stay in theirhome environment as long as possible as declared in the goal No. 5 – “Healthy Aging“ of the programme “Health21“ of the WHO.

Key words:
elderly people – risk gerontological factors – risk situation in the old age – home health care