BA.Ü.Balıkesir SYO Ebelik 2. Sınıf Öğr. Elemanı, Balıkesir

Beyond the age of 65 is accepted as the geriatric period. The geriatric population in our country was 5.6% in 2000, and is expected to rise to 7.1 % in 2010. Considering the increasing percentage of the geriatric population in our country, this study was planed to determine the conditions and the problems of the elderly people who live in our region. The researchers prepared a questionnaire form, which examined the personal data and life conditions of the people over the age of 65. The form was applied as face-to-face interviews by visiting geriatric villagers every Monday between October 18th 2004 and January 12th 2005 in 14 villages of Pamukçu Municipality in Balıkesir. Collected data was evaluated with the computer and percentiles were calculated. The percentage of the geriatric population in the area was found to be 14.5%. 52.7% of them were females and 58.5% were illiterate. 34.4% of the geriatric population had no social security, 78.3% had at least one chronic disease and the most frequent chronic diseases were hypertension (43%) and rheumatic diseases (42.4%). 45.9% of the subjects did not regularly take medication and 47.5% did not go to control visits.