STRESS EXPERIENCED BY ELDERLY PATIENTS IN MEDICAL INSTITUTION AND ITS CONSEQUENCES

Abstract

Stress is a state of worry or mental tension caused by a difficult situation. Stress is a natural human response that prompts to address challenges and threats. Prolonged stress is harmful to all patients, and especially in the elderly, as it interferes with the faster recovery of patients, debilitates the person's immune system, and as a result, various undesirable symptoms appear. The vast majority of all patients experience anxiety and stress before visits to doctors, various medical procedures and of course operations. Being in a medical institution, seeing various medical equipment and instruments, feelings of uncertainty, fear of death, fear of instability and changes in health status are the main aspects that cause negative psychological reactions in patients. The study was conducted using a quantitative research method. In this study participated 138 elderly people which age was from 55 years. After summarizing and reviewing all answers of the respondents, the fact is noticed that stress is a comulative phenomenon in our body, and it becomes more and more difficult to survive it with time. It is also possible to see how much influence changes in medical institutions have on the emotional state of patients.