Family support in older institutionalized people.

Abstract

Social changes, life events, and the difficulties that accompany ageing can lead to situations of loneliness and, in the worst cases, isolation. In cases of institutionalization, the attenuating effect of family support may increase when people are faced by the need to deal with a new life stage like old age. The goal of this study was to analyze the frequency and type of family contacts that are maintained in old people's residences, as well as the old people's degree of satisfaction with such contacts. A sample of 50 institutionalized people over 70 years of age completed the Cuestionario de Evaluación de Calidad de Vida en contexto Residencial (CECAVI-R, in Spanish, the Questionnaire to Assess Quality of Life within a Residential Context). The results show that the oldest people in the residences have more frequent family contacts. Taking gender into account, the frequency of family contacts varied as a function of the visitor (grandchildren, siblings, etc.). Lastly, the analysis of satisfaction with family relations was positive, and the younger inmates displayed the least satisfaction.