Objectives: 1) To describe the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of working and retired employees aged 55 years and older; 2) To determine the proportion with visual and hearing impairments in participants with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM); and 3) To determine the association between quality of life in participants with T2DM and visual and hearing impairments.

Methods: The study utilized a cross-sectional study design - data derived from the findings of the UP Wellness Initiative for Seniors and Elders (UPWISE) Program. The participants were working and retired university employees age 55 years and above residing in urban and rural-urban (rurban) communities. Stratified random sampling was utilized according to working status and sex. Visual and hearing impairments, and the presence of T2DM were assessed using a multidisciplinary diagnostic process, the comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA).

Results: A total of 301 participants agreed to participate and completed the CGA. The mean age of the participants was 64.8 (±6.3), and 51.2% belonged to the young-old subgroup. There was an almost equal proportion of males and females while there were more working (53.8%) than the retired (46.2%). There were 17.6% of participants with T2DM and of them, 47.2% with visual impairment (VI) alone, 7.5% hearing impairment (HI) alone, and 37.7% with dual sensory impairments (DSI). Good quality of life was reported by 100% of T2DM participants with HI, 80% with VI, and 72.3% with DSI. There was no significant association between quality of life and vision and hearing impairments. On the other hand, a significant association was identified between T2DM and DSI (p-value, 0.001).

Conclusion: T2DM and vision and hearing impairments are prevalent among the two academic communities. Visual impairment was more common than hearing impairment. Participants diagnosed with T2DM and having a visual, hearing, or dual sensory impairments reported good quality of life.

Key Words: sensory, geriatric assessments, retired, employees, quality of life, diabetes mellitus

Geriatric Assessment ; Occupational Groups ; Quality of Life ; Diabetes Mellitus

Objectives: This study aims to describe the sociodemographic and clinical profile of working and retired staff and faculty age 55 years and older in an academic community living in Laguna, Philippines; to determine the proportion of participants with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM); and to describe the nutritional and frailty status of working and retired participants with T2DM. Methods: The study utilized a cross-sectional study design. The participants are current employees and retired faculty and staff of an academic community living in Bay and Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines. Stratified random sampling according to working status and gender was utilized. Participants with T2DM were determined and assessed based on their nutritional and frailty status using the comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA), laboratory analysis, and mini nutritional assessment (MNA). Descriptive statistics were calculated for all continuous and categorical variables measured. Results: A total of 109 participants agreed to participate and completed the CGA, with 93.6% undergone blood extraction for laboratory analysis. The mean age of the participants was 63.7 (±5.8) and 57.8% belonged to the young-old subgroup. There were more working (60.6%) than the retired (39.4%) and more females (61.5%) than males (38.5%). There was a low level of malnutrition (0.9%) in this cohort. However, many had abdominal obesity and elevated low-density lipoprotein (LDL). Low vitamin D was prevalent. Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus was present among 14.7% of participants of which 93.8% were pre-frail and 6.3% were at risk for malnutrition. Conclusion Although malnutrition and frailty were not prevalent among those with T2DM in this cohort, more participants were pre-frail and at risk for malnutrition. There are many opportunities to reduce the risk of malnutrition and frailty in the community. Early screening and interventions are recommended to improve the health and wellbeing of the working and retired participants.
Aged ; Frailty