title: Physical and mental health aspects of elderly in social care in Poland.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The objective of the study was to evaluate health aspects in elderly individuals in social, institutional, and home care in Poland.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 300 elderly individuals in care in Poland were included in the study. The subjects were divided into three groups: residents of long-term care institutions (group I), residents of adult day-care homes (group II), and community-dwelling subjects (group III). Each group consisted of 100 subjects. Questionnaires evaluating the following physical and mental dimensions of health were used: SF-36 Health Survey, basic activities of daily living, instrumental activities of daily living, Geriatric Depression Scale, and Mini-mental state examination.
  
  
  RESULTS
  It was found that the health aspects of the elderly varied depending on whether care was provided in an institutionalized or a home environment, and the lowest health status was found in the elderly receiving in-home care. Furthermore, home-based elderly indicated significant limitations in performing basic activities of daily living and instrumental activities of daily living, as well as a higher prevalence of depression and cognitive impairment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The elderly in long-term institutionalized care, both in a residential home and adult day-care homes, were characterized by a better physical and mental health status than those receiving in-home care. It seemed that worse health status, including the more frequent depression occurrence and cognitive function disorders in the elderly using the nursing care at their homes, was related to their multimorbidity, loneliness, and too-short duration of the care during the day.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing Propaedeutics, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Dorota
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dobrzyn-Matusiak
authors.affiliation: Department of Gerontology and Geriatric Nursing, School of Health Care, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Czesław
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Marcisz
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Bielsko-Biała, Bielsko-Biała, Poland.
authors.forename: Ewelina
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bąk
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing Propaedeutics, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Halina
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kulik
authors.affiliation: Department of Anxiety Disorders, Hospital of Ministry of Internal Affairs, Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Marcisz
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000145:classification; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003631:Day Care, Medical; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D016330:Frail Elderly / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006304:Health Status; D006699:Home Care Services; D006707:Homes for the Aged; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008609:Mental Status Schedule / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009735:Nursing Homes; D011044:Poland; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
keywords: activities of daily living; cognitive function; depression; health status; social institutions