Thesis title: The elderly in Korça Region, their needs, legal aspects and geriatric care priorities.
Aging is not just a biological process; it is a new chapter in human life where dignity and respect take on a more tangible form. This study is focused on assessing the elderly needs in Korça Region, in urban and rural areas, where these needs are often different. In Korça Region, this takes on more importance because a large number of elderly people live alone due to the immigration of their children within or outside the country. Korça Region has a population where 57% reside in rural areas, while 43% live in urban zones. However, these percentages are not entirely accurate due to increasing emigration of the younger population to neighboring countries such as Greece, different country in Europe and USA in search of better employment opportunities. Additionally, there is internal migration within the region, with rural inhabitants relocating to more urban centers. Korça’s economy relies heavily on agriculture, with the majority of the workforce employed in both agricultural and industrial sectors. This study goes beyond statistics, beyond insensitive policies, touching on the human dimension of geriatric care and the need for legal support built on empathy, which elderly people so desperately need. In an effort to analyze the challenges that elderly face in health and legal systems, we aim to provide solutions as professionals, as institutions, as a society where their voice can be heard. Elderly are not a burden to society but they are an asset – the most precious inheritance we have. For this study, were distributed questionnaires to 466 elderly people in Korça Region, both in the city and countryside, with the aim of assessing the quality of life of elderly people over the age of 65 in the Korça Region, as well as exploring the feeling of abandonment and the social support they receive. It also aimed to identify family, social and economic factors related to these life experiences in this group of elderly people. The research is based on a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods of data collection and interpretation. The data were collected through a structured questionnaire, including individuals aged 65 to 97 years, where the average age of the participants is 74.5 years, with a moderate distribution (SD = 7.16). To assess the quality of life among elderly, the last two section of the WHOQOL questionnaires (WHOQOL-BREF and WHOQOL-OLD) were used. After confirming the structure of questionnaire through Confirmatory Factor Analysis, the internal consistency of the questionnaire was first tested using Crombach’s Alpha coefficient and this analysis showed that most of the factors had values above the recommended threshold of 0.70, demonstrating good or very good internal consistency. Data were analyzed using R Version 4.5.1, with the lavaan package (version 0.6-19). Before analyses, data were screened for missing values and data entry errors. Data were also assessed to ensure that the assumptions of each test used were not violated. To assess the factorial structure of the instruments used in the study, Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was conducted for both sections of the questionnaire D. WHOQOL-BREF and E. WHOQOL-OLD. Model fit was assessed using standard fit indices including: Chi-square (χ²), Comparative Fit Index (CFI), Tucker–Lewis Index (TLI), Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA) with confidence intervals 90%, Standardized Root Mean Square Residual (SRMR), Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) and Bayesian Information Criterion (BIC) were used to for model comparison. Model parameters were estimated using Maximum Likelihood (ML) Method. Based on the results the average scores for the WHOQOL-BREF and WHOQOL-OLD domains indicate a moderate level of quality of life among the surveyed elderly population, with mean scores of 55.44 and 55.33 respectively, on a scale from 1to100. Overall, the general quality of life score from the BREF (M = 55.44) reflects a moderate level. In both instruments, the wide range of values and the relatively high standard deviations, especially in Death and Thoughts about it (SD = 28.65) and Sensory abilities (SD = 22.48) indicate that the experience of quality of life varies greatly from one elderly individual to another. Some report very high levels of well-being, while others report very low levels. Overall, the data suggest an average quality of life, with strengths in daily activities and sensory perception, but with gaps in Intimacy and certain aspects of social relationships.