Vulnerabilitatea la vârstnicii instituționalizați

Abstract

The human aging process is complex and multifactorial, being accompanied by a decrease in functional and cognitive capacities. The world’s population is in a continuous aging process, the percentage increase of the elderly population represents a demographic phenomenon common to all countries. In geriatrics, the term „vulnerability” or „pre-fragility” implies a multidimensional aspect, among which, multimorbidity, functional incapacity, cognitive and socio-economic problems, which affect the quality of life of the elderly population, leading to a physical, cognitive and sensory decline, with the decrease of autonomy and the installation of dependence. Of particular importance is the assessment of the prevalence and particularities of vulnerability in the institutionalized elderly in the context of frailty in order to identify informational indices of value. According to the data obtained, the most common geriatric syndromes detected in the elderly included in the study are the algic and falling syndrome, which implies a decrease in functionality and a negative prognosis.