STUDY OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY LEVEL, FUNCTIONAL INDEPENDENCE AND COGNITIVE STATUS IN INSTITUTIONALIZED OLDER PEOPLE: ANALISYS BY GENDER

Gender may modulate several motor and cognitive functions. The aim of this study was to analyze the general cognitive state of institutionalized older people, as well as to analyze, by gender, the physical activity level, functional independence and cognitive profile (general cognitive state, memory and executive functions) in demented institutionalized older people. Twenty five older people (11 men), comprising 7.8% of institutionalized population living at the three largest long-term care institutions at the city, took part in this study. Tests and questionnaires to assess level of physical activity, functional independence, cognitive and depressive symptoms were applied. Descriptive statistics and ANCOVA One-Way were used for gender comparisons. From 25 participants, 22 presented a demented status. The 25 older people showed a very poor average general cognitive state. In those demented ones, there were found significant differences (p>0.05) only on general cognitive state and on mental flexibility. We conclude that institutionalized older people present an important cognitive decline, and that was possible to observe significant difference between gender only on general cognitive state and mental flexibility. But, because the experimental design, we not must conclude that only gender modulates such differences.