Quality of Life of Dependent Elderly : A Literature Review

Abstract

          Nowadays, dependency is being discussed more and more because the changing population structure in Thailand, characterized by a higher average age, and has sparked a growing discourse on dependency. The proportion of the elderly population has rapidly increased. As people age, the performance of various organs decreases due to the aging process or body deterioration. Most elderly people suffer from numerous chronic diseases, which lead to limitations in their ability to perform daily activities independently. This has been the primary cause of increased dependency within Thai society. Dependent elderly need assistance in their daily lives, just like people of any age. Their basic needs are different, and meeting these needs contributes to a satisfactory quality of life. This academic article aimed to review literature regarding the quality of life of dependent elderly. The researcher saw that the quality of life variable of dependent elderly is interesting, and has been widely studied because creating a good quality of life is an important goal in caring for the elderly by the World Health Organization. The elderly are valuable people and should have their needs met for living with dignity and being able to rely on themselves. After that, searching for primary research published in both Thai and English from electronic databases such as ThaiJO, PubMed, ProQuest, and ScienceDirect from 2003 to 2023, and condensation the data from selecting only researches that covered all keywords. Then synthesis the data, and presenting the results of the review from the analysis of research documents.

          Research results The literature review on the quality of life of dependent elderly using the research review process in various steps can summarize the main content is that quality of life means physical health, mental health, social relationships, and the environment all influence the person's perception of their level of well-being, happiness, and life satisfaction, all within the context of culture, values, and life goals. The four main components of quality of life are: 1) the physical domain, which is the perception of a person's physical condition and its effect on daily life; 2) the psychological domain, which refers to the perception of one's own mental state; 3) social relationships, which involve the perception of relationships with others; and 4) the environment, which refers to how the perception of the environment affects how we live our lives. In the conclusions of the research results, nursing personnel involved in the care of dependent elderly can use the results of this literature review to guide their practice and improve their quality of life. Furthermore, we can apply the findings of this study to disease surveillance and the management of potential complications.