How older people see themselves: perspectives about ageing

INTRODUCTION: Ageing is an individual development process characterized by large variability between individuals. However, the aging stereotypes has usually an negative signal and may influence the way how older people see themselves. The proverbs, as a result of popular sense, usually reflect this ageism vision. The way as individuals do the interpretation of proverbs may reflect the environment and the capacity to have an personal view of age. OBJECTIVES: Evaluate the elderly's perspective about ageing and assess the relationship with sociodemographic conditions, social support, health conditions and functional status. METHODS: Descriptive, cross-sectional and correlational study. Sample of 118 subjects, predominantly female (59.2%) with mean age of 73.33 ± 9.24 years. The subjects interpret several proverbs related with ageing through interview. Data collection includes sociodemographic and health conditions, BARTHEL Index and an Satisfaction with Social Support scale. The MMSE (cognition) was used has to evaluate cognitive state and the capacity to participate in the study. RESULTS: Sample was organized in three groups. Youngest group (n=40; age 59-69) have a most positive perspective about ageing, better health conditions and functionality than other groups aged between 70-79 years and 80 or more years. The number of diseases, consumption of drugs or medical services and several sociodemographic conditions are related with negative perspectives about ageing. CONCLUSIONS: The elderly perspectives about ageing appear be modulated by age and is related with demographic and social conditions. Subject married or with family, with more education, better health status and autonomy present a more positive view of ageing process