Investment in Personal Life in Institutionalized Elderly

Abstract

Bachground: investment in personal life (IVP) may indicate the valuation and attribution of life goals of the elderly, in all its attributes and characteristics. Objective: to evaluate the levei and determinants of perceived IVF by institutionalized elderly. Methodology: non­experimental, descriptive-correlational and quantitative study, carried out on a sample of 90 institutionalized elderly people from the Central region of Portugal. A questionnaire was used, the Barthel lndex, Family Apgar Scale, Spirituality Scale, Life Satisfaction Scale, and Personal Life lnvestment Valuation Scale. Results: the perception of the elderly on the IPL is to 37.8% high, moderate to 30.0% and low to 32.2%. The men evaluated the investment in a more positive way than the women (p = 0.047), as well as the elderly with higher academic qualifications (p = 0.041) and with a higher levei of functional independence (p = 0.037). Family also has a side effect. Positive and significant (p = 0.020) non-lPL of the elderly, at the life expectancy (p = 0.002) and greater Life satisfaction (p = 0.013). Conclusions: the leveis of IVP of the elderly are differentiated but mostly positive and correlate significantly with several variables that work to contribute to an active and quality aging.