ECONOMICAL IMPACT TO THE FAMILY WITH ELDERS PHYSICALLY DISABLED

Abstract

The following research is a descriptive, observational, crosssectional study, where the economic impact on the family caring for an elder with a disability was studied. The families with elder adults hospitalized at the National Rehabilitation Institute (INR) with some type of physical disability were chosen. The following scales were applied: Family-social Assessment, Barthel Index and a modified questionnaire taken from the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI). The objectives were to determine the economic impact on the family caring for elder adults with a disability; to analyze income, physical and psychological conditions; and to identify the coverage that exists in health and pension plans. It was found that this population of study, females predominated (67.47%). 38.6% of the patients were between 71 and 80 years old. 99.4% of them had a physical disability. With regards to marital status, 45.2% were married and only 0.6% divorced; and it was observed that 56% of the population had a college degree. 61.4% of elder adults live with their family, and 21.7% of them pay rent. It is alarming to realize that 16.3% of them work, 7.8% are pensioners, 5.4% are retired and only one elderly patient (0.6%) was looking for employment. However, having an elder hospitalized with a disability significantly impacts on the family economy. The revenue needed to ensure a good quality of life in old age depends on factors such as age, health status, living arrangements and previous consumption patterns.