What is associated with older adults' ability to care for themselves at home?

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The researchers noted that the number of older people living in urban environments worldwide will increase in the coming years. In most European countries, older people's health has been improving and life expectancy has been increasing for both women and men. Norway has seen smaller gains in life expectancy than some other European countries, motivating research into older urban Norwegians' health and ways of living in a self-care environment, particularly with regard to health promotion.

The study aimed to describe self-care ability among home-dwelling adults aged 65+ in urban areas of southern Norway in relation to general living conditions, sense of coherence (SOC), screened nutritional state, physical activity, perceived self-reported health, mental health, and perceived life situation.

In this observational questionnaire study, a randomized sample of 1,044 men and women aged 65+ living in urban southern Norway answered a postal questionnaire in 2010. It included five instruments, background variables, and 17 health-related questions. The data were analyzed using univariate and multivariate statistical methods.

Participants' mean age was 74.8 years (SD = 7.1). Eighty-three percent had higher abilities to care for themselves. Self-care agency, perceived good health, being active, being frequently active, good mental health, not being at risk of undernutrition, and satisfaction with life were all positively related to self-care ability. Perceived helplessness, receiving home nursing, being anxious, and more advanced age were negatively related to self-care ability. People aged 85+ had worse mental health, were less physically active, and were more at risk of undernutrition.

The authors concluded that health professionals should focus on health-promoting factors that reinforce older people's ability to care for themselves and recognize important symptoms and signs associated with reduced self-care ability. They also called on politicians to take responsibility for health care, with particular regard to senior citizens.