ESTADO MENTAL DE ADULTOS MAYORES EN LA CIUDAD DE PORTOVIEJO

Abstract

Mental health is defined as a state of balance between the person and their socio-cultural reality that ensures their labor, intellectual contribution and their relationships that allow them to reach the maximum well-being and quality of life. The term "mental health" is commonly used as equivalent to "health or fitness", and the World Health Organization defines mental health as: "a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not just absence of conditions or diseases". There is no exact definition of what is mental health, or mental state because this definition directly influences cultural differences, and the different ways in which people relate to the reality of their environment, among other issues. Mental health includes our emotional, psychic and social well-being. It influences the way we think, feel and function in our daily life. It also determines the way we handle stress, interact with other people and make decisions. In order to know the mental state of a person in his daily life we must observe his behavior in topics such as his way of handling and resolving conflicts, his fears, abilities and responsibilities; the way to satisfy their own needs, to face their problems, their family relationships and friendships, and the independence of their life, so that the concept of mental health is very subjective and is determined by the cultural environment. The present study had a correlational, non-experimental cross section, which evaluated 44 older adults, applying the mental state test (MMSE), which seeks to measure the status of the elderly, consists of 30 basic questions to know how they are in terms of their environment, mathematical mental ability, language and memory. It was found that people who visit a geriatric center keep their cognitive skills in better condition than people who live in their homes or with their relatives.