Self-Care in Elders with Dementia: A Concept Analysis.
10.4040/jkan.2004.34.8.1402
- Author:
Hye A YEOM
1
Author Information
1. University of Rochester School of Nursing, USA. hyea_yeom@urmc.rochester.edu
- Publication Type:Case Reports ; Evaluation Studies
- Keywords:
Self-Care;
Dementia
- MeSH:
Activities of Daily Living;
*Aged/physiology/psychology;
Aged, 80 and over;
Continuity of Patient Care;
*Dementia/nursing/physiopathology/psychology;
Disease Progression;
Female;
Geriatric Assessment;
Humans;
Male;
*Models, Nursing;
Nursing Assessment;
Nursing Evaluation Research;
Nursing Theory;
*Self Care/methods/psychology;
Severity of Illness Index
- From:
Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
2004;34(8):1402-1408
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to analyze the concept of self-care in elders with dementia through a review of nursing literature and to provide more understanding of the definition and perspectives of the concept of self-care notion in elders with dementia. METHODS: The technique developed by Walker and Avant was used as a guide in analyzing the concept of selfcare. RESULTS: Attributes of self-care in dementia may include a single or group of actions needed for sustaining life, a personal effort to maintain functional independence while minimizing other's assistance, an outcome behavior from the person's interaction with inter-personal and/or contextual environment, and a functional ability that may decline in parallel to cognitive impairment. Antecedents of self-care in dementia may include at least presence of a certain degree of cognitive appraisal for the self-care needs, self-willingness for the selfcare action, spatial and visual orientation, cultural pre-conception of the self-care behavior, presence of environmental context/equipment available for self-care, and sufficient time available. The consequences may include sustaining of life, feel of satisfaction, achieving independence, extended life expectancy, increased self-confidence, decreased caregiver distress and/or burden, savings in health care costs. DISCUSSION: Defining attributes and antecedents and consequences of self-care in dementia identified in this study provided empirical ground of a middle-range theory of self-care for a clinical population with dementia and generated possible hypotheses to be tested in future studies.
