[Factors determining the quality of life of residents in homes for the aged--preliminary report].

In 1997 people over 60 constituted 16.2% of Poland's population and their percentage will rise to 22.4 by 2020 according to the General Statistics Office (GUS). The increasing number of the elderly entails the need for new demographic, social, economical and health solutions. Thus, the need to create various centres, such as old people's homes. This is where the elderly live for years, often until their death, therefore it is so important to ensure them appropriate living conditions. Over the last years, it has been stressed that improvement in symptoms and lifespan lengthening are not the only important issues for patients but it is also, and even most of all, the improvement of their life's quality. The aim of the paper was to evaluate the factors determining the Quality of life (QoL) of the inhabitants of old people's homes. The study encompassed 80 inhabitants of an old people's home in Podkarpacie region. The Nottingham Health Profile and the Self Evaluation Scale of professor J. Tylka were used to assess the QoL. Both questionnaires were complemented by questions about chronic diseases and rehabilitation procedure applied. Results of the analysis are preliminary. So far the research has shown a significant dependence of the QoL on physical efficiency, pain and depression. It has been also demonstrated that, in spite of a suitable rehabilitation base, too little importance is still attached too a comprehensive rehabilitation in the old people's homes.