Functional disability, psychological morbidity and acceptance of geriatric nursing home care among the elderly presenting at a geriatrics clinics, south west Nigeria

Aging and disability go concomitantly in the life of man with associated loss of function and limitations. Dependence is one of the compelling reasons for placement in the geriatric nursing home. The absence of national policy on the care of the elderly necessitates research in this direction. From this hospital based cross-sectional study of 290 subjects aged 60 years and above, dependence in the basic ADLs was highest (26.1%) in bladder control while it was in housekeeping (42.4%) in the IADLs. Most of respondents perceived their ability in conversation, vision and hearing as good with the highest impairment (10.0%) found in hearing. The burden of psychological morbidity was also low among respondents. Only 37.3% accepted to go to geriatric nursing home if the need arises and significant association exist between psychological morbidity and acceptance of nursing home. More research is recommended to draw the attention of the policy makers to the care of the elderly as practice in the developed world.Keywords: Disability, Psychological Morbidity, Nursing Home, Elderl