Funcionalidad cognitiva y autonomía funcional en adultos mayores institucionalizados en la ciudad de Quito

Abstract

The purpose of this research project is to investigate the relationship between cognitive functioning and functional autonomy in institutionalized older adults. This research is conducted using quantitative, cross-sectional, and correlational methodology. A sociodemographic survey was administered. Three additional instruments were used: the Mini-Mental State Examination (MME), the Lawton-Brody Scale, and the Barthel Index (BI). Three instruments were also used: the Mini-Mental State Examination (MME), the Lawton-Brody Scale, and the Barthel Index (BI). Participants were 30, 43% male and 57% female, aged 60–90 years. The findings from the MiniMental State Examination (MME) showed that 60% of older adults had dementia and 7% had cognitive impairment; while the Barthel Index (BI) showed that 37% of the population had moderate dependency and 7% had minimal dependency. On the other hand, the Lawton and Brody Scale shows that 37% of the population shows moderate dependency and 7% are autonomous. The results obtained in the correlation of the instruments show that no statistically significant relationship was found between cognitive functioning (MMSE) and functional autonomy (Barthel and Lawton and Brody Index) in this sample of institutionalized older adults in Quito. Although a weak positive correlation was observed between MMSE and Barthel (ρ = 0.323), this did not reach the threshold of statistical significance (p = 0.081). The correlation between MMSE and Lawton and Brody was practically null (ρ = 0.046, p = 0.808). Unexpectedly, no significant correlation was found between the two measures of functional autonomy (Barthel and Lawton and Brody).