Aging and its Impact on the Quality of Life of Older Adults in Ecuador

Abstract

The World Health Organization  describes aging as a process that involves optimizing opportunities in health, participation, and security, with the purpose of improving people's quality of life as they age. Objective: The purpose of this study was to analyze whether family abandonment influences the physical and mental health of older adults residing at the Mier y Pesado Foundation in Orizaba, Veracruz, during the period between August 2022 and January 2023. Methodology: A research study was carried out with a quantitative approach, with a non-experimental, descriptive, and cross-sectional design. The sample consisted of 26 participants selected through non-probability convenience sampling, who met the inclusion criteria: being residents of the Mier y Pesado Foundation and being over 62 years of age. Three instruments were used to collect data: the questionnaire on abandonment in older adults, the Yesavage scale to assess depression, and the Katz index to measure functional independence. Furthermore, ethical regulations established for research in human subjects were followed. Results: Based on the Shapiro-Wilk test, it was determined that the variables analyzed did not present homoscedasticity, which is why it was decided to use a non-parametric correlation test, specifically Spearman's Rho coefficient (Ortega, Ochoa, & Molina, 2021). From this analysis, it was evident that there is no significant correlation between the variables studied. Conclusion: The findings indicate that 46.2% of the participants experienced abandonment due to lack of care, 42.3% presented moderate depression, and 61.5% retained their independence. Consequently, it is concluded that family abandonment in the residents of the Mier y Pesado Foundation does not have a direct impact on their physical or mental health.