Objective: To assess the quality of life and degree of disability of elderly people with ostomies. Method: This is a cross-sectional study, carried out with elderly people with ostomies from a Brazilian public health service. They were evaluated using the City of Hope – Quality of Life – Ostomy Questionnaire and the WHO Disability Assessment Schedule. Results: The mean quality of life was 8.0 and the degree of disability was 3.8. There was an association between aptitude for self-care and better quality of life (p<0.005). The association is greater between the psychological and spiritual well-being domains among the elderly, elderly able to self-care. Spiritual wellbeing was also higher among those with more than five years of surgery. There was also an association between a higher degree of disability and when the cause of the ostomy was cancer (p<0.003). Conclusion: Elderly people with an ostomy had a good quality of life and a low degree of disability.Objetivo: Avaliar a qualidade de vida e grau de deficiência da pessoa idosa com estomia. Método: Trata-se de um estudo transversal, realizado com pessoas idosas com estomias de um serviço público de saúde brasileiro que foram avaliadas pelos instrumentos City of Hope – Quality of Life – Ostomy Questionary e pelo WHO Disability Assessment Schedule. Resultados: A qualidade de vida média foi de 8,0 e o grau de deficiência 3,8. Houve associação entre aptidão para o autocuidado e a melhor qualidade de vida (p<0,005). A associação é maior entre os domínios bem-estar psicológico e espiritual entre idosos, aptos para o autocuidado ou não. O bem-estar espiritual se mostrou maior entre aqueles com mais de cinco anos de cirurgia. Também houve associação entre maior grau de deficiência e quando a causa da estomia era câncer (p<0,003). Conclusão: Idosos com estomia apresentaram boa qualidade de vida e baixo grau de deficiência.
