Introduction:

Aging is a process of progressive changes affecting the physical functional capacity and the level of dependency of the older adult population. These, in turn, gradually become affected regarding their health and daily activities.

Objective:

To evaluate the functional capacity and degree of dependency of older adults who attend a Foundation for Social Inclusion.

Methods:

A quantitative, descriptive, cross-sectional study carried out at Melvin Jones Foundation for Social Inclusion, in Ecuador, during 2018. The study population consisted of 126 older adults. Sociodemographic and health-related characteristics, functionality and dependence were evaluated, for which the Barthel index was used. Informed consent was obtained and descriptive statistics, chi square, were used for comparisons between sexes. The differences were considered statistically significant, with P ≤ 0.05.

Results:

The average age was 65 years. Regarding their basic activities, 56% showed total dependence; 91.04%, mild dependence, more frequently in women, which is considered an aggravating situation among older adults. There was no statistically significant difference regarding sex (P = 0.36). The basic activities with the greatest total dependence were bathing, dressing, moving around and walking, going up and down stairs, and having bowel movements. Furthermore, it was found that 32.83% were overweight.

Conclusions:

Functional capacity and degree of dependency of the older adults at Melvin Jones Foundation are determined by age, sociodemographic characteristics and nutritional evaluation. However, it represents an opportunity for nursing care for the elderly.

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