P-67 The sociodemographic and health characteristics of elderly people referred to public long-term health care facilities in Barbados

Methods: The study was a descriptive cross-sectional survey, where a questionnaire was administered to all referrals to public long term health care facilities between March 1st, 2023, and February 29th, 2024. Inclusion criteria, were patients aged 65 years and older and exclusion criteria were patients referred younger than 65 years old. Available referral letters and social work files were used to gather data about participants who were unable to be interviewed. Data was categorized, and analyzed with cross tabulations using Pearson chi square and Fisher’s exact tests in IBM SPSS.

Results: Of the 219 eligible referrals, 39 were confirmed deceased, 92 were of unknown status/uncontactable and 84 completed in person interviews. The population was 47.9% males and 52.1% females who were predominantly Black (Afro-Caribbean) in ethnicity. The most prevalent non-communicable diseases were hypertension (45.2%) and diabetes (24.7%). The vast majority, 88.1%, had dementia and were totally dependent on others for all instrumental activities of daily living as well as some basic activities of daily living. Men were more likely (p=<0.05) to have stroke (20% vs 8.8%) and incontinence (23.8% vs 13.2%) and be independent with eating (41.9% vs. 19.3%), mobility (27.6% vs. 15.8%), and hygiene (23.8% vs. 10.5%). Children were the main primary caregivers, and most persons were referred due to increased care needs as well as reported care-giver burden.

Conclusion: In keeping with the strongest global predictors for institutionalization, cognitive impairment and functional dependence were the predominant associations in this study. This study highlighted many areas that need urgent attention such as the need for the development of a national dementia plan and bolstering public health efforts to achieve active aging as well as equipping the public to care for their elderly members.