Factors associated with the self-care of home-dwelling older people

Abstract

Background: The number of older and functionally disabled people in the Finnish population is growing. This means that more and more older people are having to look after themselves at home. Also the need for domiciliary care services is increasing. The aim of this study was to find out if there are connections between the satisfaction with life, self-esteem, functional capacity and the self-care behaviour styles of older people living at home.

Methods: The study was carried out using a descriptive, correlational and cross-sectional design. Data were collected from structured interviews with 180 home-dwelling older people around Finland using a tested instrument. Data were analysed using exploratory factor analyses and correlation coefficients.

Results: A responsible self-care behaviour style had a strong positive correlation to life satisfaction, self-esteem and functional capacity. A formally guided self-care behaviour style had statistically significant links to satisfaction with life and high self-esteem. An independent self-care behaviour style was related to good functional capacity (ADL and IADL) and strong self-esteem. An abandoned self-care behaviour style and factors associated with it were not identified in this study.

Conclusion: This study found connections between different self-care behaviour styles and functional capacity, satisfaction with life as well as self-esteem. Thus, it could be presumed that the identification of self-care behaviour styles and related factors could be utilized by those working in nursing care to understand and support the self-care ability of home-dwelling older people.