American International Journal of Social Science

Comparison of Satisfaction Levels Regarding Living Conditions, Depression and Dependency Among Two Elderly Groups, One in Nursing Home and the Other At Home: A Community-Based, Cross-Sectional Analytic Study
Fatma Demirkıran, Pinar Okyay, Hatice Oner, Belgin Yildirim

Abstract
The aim of this study is to determine the status of dependence, the prevalence of depression and the factors related to satisfaction with living conditions among two groups of elderly, those living in a nursing home and in their own home. A modified version of the Katz daily living scale and the Geriatric Depression were used. The nursing home-cared elderly were older (p<0.001). Elderly women are more likely to be able to live alone and the elders without children were more likely to live in the nursing home (p<0.05). Heating, health care and security conditions were the areas that elderly in the nursing home reported higher satisfaction scores (p<0.05). Elders in their own homes feel better. The overall depression prevalence among both groups was 41.8%, 46% at nursing home and 40% at home (p=0.342). Home care services seem to be the appropriate solution of the caring problem of elderly.

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