Elderly and caregiver demand: proposal for a care need classification

Anciano y demanda de cuidador: propuesta de clasificación de la necesidad de cuidado

ABSTRACT

Objective:

To propose a care need classification for elderly people by identifying their functional demands.

Method:

Cross-sectional study carried out in São Paulo, in 2006, with 1,413 elderly (≥ 60 years old), participants in the Health, Well-being and Aging study (SABE – Saúde, Bem Estar e Envelhecimento). For the care need classification, we used the Guttman Scaling method e the frequency of assistance required by the elderly.

Results:

The hierarchy of activities of daily living had good internal consistency (α = 0.92) and satisfactory coefficients of reproducibility (98%), scalability (84%) and minimum marginal reproducibility (87%). Care need was categorized into: no need (requires no caregiver), minimum need (requires caregiver sporadically), moderate need (requires caregiver intermittently) and maximum need (requires full-time caregiver).

Conclusion:

This classification will allow identifying elderly that need assistance in everyday activities and will orientante health professionals in the development of a line of care.

Descriptors:
Elderly; Frail Elderly; Everyday Activities; Caregivers; Geriatric Nursing