Factors associated with the self-care of home-dwelling elderly

The purpose of this study was to examine how functional capacity, activities of daily living (ADL), instrumental activities of daily living (IADL), life satisfaction and self-esteem are related to the self-care behaviour styles of home-dwelling elderly persons. Data were collected by qualitative interviews (self-care) and structured interviews (functional capacity, life satisfaction and self-esteem) from home-dwelling elderly persons (n=40) aged 75 or more. The persons were living in a medium-sized city in northern Finland. The qualitative data were analysed using deductive content analysis. The classification frame consisted of a theoretical classification developed in an earlier study. The categories were quantified and the relationship between the variables analysed by cross-tabulation. The persons whose self-care behaviour style was responsible, formally guided or independent carried out their daily activities without assistance from others, while those who showed abandoned self-care did not manage their daily activities without help. Life satisfaction was the highest among the formally guided persons and self-esteem among the responsible ones. Poor life satisfaction and self-esteem correlated with abandoned self-care behaviour.