Determination of Factors Affecting Self-care in the Elderly

Objectives: In this study, the self-care capacity of elderly people living in nursing homes or at home with their families was examined. In addition, the relation between the Self-Care Capacity Scale and the demographic features of the elderly living in a nursing home or at home with their families was investigated. Methods: The study sample included 58 elderly people living in an institutional setting and 58 elderly people living in their homes, for a total of 116 participants. Questionnaires utilized in this study included the "Sociodemographic Data Form" and the "Self-Care Capacity Scale". Results: At the conclusion of the study, the self-care capacity score for individuals residing in a rest home was found to be 92.28 +/- 19.45 (41-128) and that for the individuals living in the family environment was 92.22 +/- 16.92 (51-127), and the difference between the groups was found to be statistically insignificant. The correlation between self-care and education, income level, the occurrence of life and dependency on others was found to be statistically significant (p<0.05). Conclusion: When the dependency on others was examined, it was found that 75% of the elderly living in the nursing homes and 46.6% of the elderly living in a family setting were dependent on others to meet their daily self-care needs. Social support and educational programs encouraging the care of elderly people in a family environment should be organized.