Health status of elderly citizens at Siyandhani village of the Limpopo province, South Africa

Abstract

There has been an increase in the number of older population in South Africa since the 1980s with the majority of them living in rural areas. An increase in the morbidity and mortality rates due to non-communicable diseases among elderly people in the country has also been observed in the past ten years. This increase is often attribute to inadequacies in the health care services for elderly people especially in rural areas. A quantitative descriptive study was conducted to assess the health status of older people at the Siyandhani Village, Limpopo Province. A total of 50 female and male respondents aged between 60 and 97 years participated in the study. A self administered questionnaire was used to assess the general health, physical function, social, emotional and mental functioning of the respondents. Although more than half considered themselves healthy, the majority were experiencing challenges with physical activity and to some degree tiredness at certain times. Almost all had no problems in bathing and dressing themselves. People suffering with pain did not have access to health care facilities. Bodily pains can influence physical, emotional and social functioning of an individual and intervention is necessary to improve health status of elderly people in Siyandhani Village.