Measuring older peoples attitudes to ageing

Summary

Positive attitudes of the elderly to older age and aging may affect their successful adaptation to aging and increase the life satisfaction of seniors. The aim of this research was to determine attitudes of the elderly to aging and to compare whether they are affected by

– gender,

– age,

– marital status, and

– level of self-sufficiency.

The research sample consisted of 151 seniors from the Bruntal district. For the data collection, a WHO standardized questionnaire was used to measure attitudes to older age and aging: the AAQ (Attitudes Toward Aging Questionnaire) that assesses attitudes in three areas:

1. psychosocial loss,

2. physical changes, and

3. psychological growth.

The Barthel index of basic everyday activities (ADL) was used to evaluate the degree of independence.

Older people rated making new friendships the hardest, whilst tolerance towards each other and aging were considered harder than they thought.

On the contrary, they positively evaluated the significance of life in old age, exercise in old age and integration into society. Older people in institutional care negatively evaluated their position in the area of psychosocial loss (experience of loneliness, social exclusion, closure and gradual loss of physical independence) compared to older people living at home. In this area, significantly more positive attitudes were detected in married seniors than in widowed elderly. With increasing age, the elderly had more negative attitudes. In the area of physical changes, statistically significant differences were found between older people dependent and independent on care according to the ADL test. Understanding the experiences of older people in the area of ageing can be the basis for working with elderly people.

Key words:
seniors, ageing, self-sufficiency, psychological growth, physical changes, psychosocial losses.