Cognitive alterations of the elderly in home settings and the attitudes of children towards aging

Abstract

Children develop attitudes towards aging from birth and are influenced by everyday factors. The objective of this study was to evaluate attitudes towards aging of children living with elderly individuals with and without cognitive changes. Home interviews were performed with 54 children from five Family Health Units, 25 of whom lived with seniors with cognitive changes (group 1), and 29 living with seniors without cognitive changes (group 2). All ethical precautions were observed. The Scale for Children's Attitudes Towards Aging was used. The mean scores obtained were 1.66 (group 1) and 1.52 (group 2). One point represented the most positive possible score, and three points the most negative. The comparison between groups, cognition domains, and social relationships presented significant rates, showing that children living with seniors with cognitive changes have more negative attitudes in these domains. Primary healthcare professionals should pay close attention to multigenerational families and invest in their education.