Principales efectos en la salud física y emocional del adulto mayor, producido por el síndrome del abuela/o esclava/o Comunidad Virgen del Milagro, Cuenca 2015

Abstract

Background: The term "elderly" is a Bio-social expression that studies human beings through their customs, feeding means and salubrity, in relation to the surrounding environment; referring to the older population. Everyone undergoes a process of biological aging or biodeterioration through the time becomes more evident when there are changes both physical and psycho-socially of the person, making it increasingly the difficult to adapt the person to the world around it. Old age brings personal transformations, physically, economic and functional independence, changing roles within the family, participation in the working market, the use of free time, self-perception, the perception that others have of the elderly, etc. The aging population can be considered a success of public health policy and the socio-economic development, but also a challenge to society, which must adapt to it to optimize health and functional capacity of older people and their social participation and security. WHO recognizes the role of grandmother abuse and other abuse against women; The Slave Grandmother Syndrome is now presented as part of this, because they feel responsible for the ongoing care of the family and because it is a way to continue feeling useful. And why is not grandfather instead of grandmother? Because our androcentric culture has taught us that women are natural caregiver, men assume the role of caregiver only when there is unavailable a female family member. Grandfather performs more leisurely grandchildren activities. (games, rides, stories etc.) Nationally, the projection for 2015 year is 1'117.991 elderly from 65 years old, which of them 676,090 are from 65 to 74 years old and 432,901 over 75 years old. The elderly population in Azuay province by the INEC for 2015 year are 64 110 people of 65 years old; while for the "Virgen del Milagro" community gives a total of 1,886. 65 of 74 years old are 1,068 elderly and more than 75 years old are 818 adult people. To perform a literature review of the topic we could see that there are no studies in the Azuay province; there are only data and studies of the European reality, that is why we want to do a research between variable relationships 1) the slave grandmother syndrome and 2) its effects on physical and mental health in the elderly.

Objective: To identify the main effects on physical and emotional health of the elderly produced by The Slave Grandmother Syndrome in the "Virgen del Milagro" Community in Cuenca, 2015.

Metodology: Qualitative and quantitative research will be apply in elderly in "Virgen del Milagro” Community. Direct observation will be used as a technique, also interview and questionnaire, after a pilot's need to rethink the questions was considered in order to make them more understandable for adult people in order to achieve concrete answers; the data will be recorded on a developed and validated form by the authors (see Annex); the results will be recorded in a database in the SPSS 2015 program, the same that will be presented in tables and graphs with their respective analysis.

Results: According to the results of the survey to the adults in the "Virgen del Milagro" community we found that 35% of elderly are 64 to 68 years old, with a group of young elderly who are caring for the grandchildren. On the other hand, there is 5% of adults between 79-83 years old to become a vulnerable group because their physical and emotional capacities are diminished by age and they are not on their total ability to assume responsibility for caring their grandchildren. Conclusions: We found that 60% of elderly suffer stress, and that being in charge of their grandchildren, the level of pressure and responsibility is greater than its responses; 44% reported feeling depressed because of the work they undertake to assume greater efforts than their emotional capacity can give. The main causes to produce The Slave Grandmother Syndrome in the "Virgen del Milagro" Community are: to conducte extra-household work despite being the direct care of their grandchildren, work; parents migration, leaving them in charge and responsibility to grandparents of caring of their grandchildren; development of chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension, the same that occur due to improper eating habits, produced by the daily caring to their grandchildren, leading them to forget getting the proper nutrition. PALABRAS CLAVES: ELDERLY, SLAVE GRANDFATHER/GRANDMOTHER, SYNDROME, GRANDCHILDREN CARES, VULNERABLE GROUP, CHRONIC DISEASES, AGING, GRANDPARENTS ROL, REGARDING ELDERLY AND GRANDCHILDREN, GENERATIONAL CONFLICT.