Effects of Nursing Care on Improving the Quality of Life in the Elderly: A Review

Elderliness is a special physical, mental, and psychological situation, which affects the quality of life (QoL) of the elderly. Those who are hospitalized or staying in nursing homes need ample interaction with nurses, who can have an effect on the QoL of the elderly. Hence, the current review study was conducted to assess the impact of nursing care on the QoL of the elderly. In this review study, articles published in domestic and foreign journals that were available in PubMed, ProQuest, Google Scholar, Scopus, and IranMedex information banks were investigated by utilizing the title search method. The search was performed without any limit in publishing time (up to 2023) using keywords such as elderly, older adult, QoL, and nursing. It was revealed that nurses can improve the symptoms of anxiety, depression, and loneliness in the elderly through their attention and care. It has been stated that by improving mental and psychological state, nurses can improve therapeutic compliance in the elderly. Moreover, it has been demonstrated that through their care, nurses not only prevent their collapse or other physical problems but also improve the physical performance of the elderly by encouraging them to exercise. The result of reviewing the articles demonstrated that nurses are able to improve the mental and psychological state as well as the motor performance of the elderly and enhance their QoL through conscious performance, care, and kindness.