Quality of life of elderly persons in Manaus measured by the Flanagan Scale

Abstract

Objective: the aim of the present study was to evaluate the quality of life of elderly people enrolled in specialized elderly care centers in Manaus and compare the findings with the results of already published studies. Method: a cross-sectional study was conducted with 741 elderly people enrolled in three of the centers in the city, from November 2015 to March 2017 using a socioeconomic and demographic questionnaire and the Flanagan Quality of Life Scale (FQLS). Interviews were carried out by previously trained physiotherapy students of the Federal University of Amazonas. Results: the majority of the elderly were female, with a mean age of 69±6.6 years, married, retired but still working, with a low income and low educational level. When they assessed their quality of life, however, they appeared satisfied. When compared to populations in other countries and regions of Brazil, despite their low socioeconomic profile, they demonstrated a higher quality of life than populations of developed countries. Some domains of the scale were inverted in relation to the original scale. Conclusion: the results allow us to conclude that even elderly persons with low socioeconomic status are satisfied with their quality of life.