Guidelines to facilitate self-care among older persons in South Africa

Tinda Rabie,Hester C Klopper

doi:10.4102/hsag.v20i1.918

Abstract

Background: The number of older persons is growing at an alarming rate, yet the South African healthcare sector is not giving this issue the required attention. Moreover, the healthcare sector serves four-fifths of the country's population and primary healthcare (PHC) facilities are overcrowded, and thus professional nurses are prevented from providing sufficient self-care health education to older persons.Aim: To develop guidelines for the three role players — the public health sector, professional nurse and older person — to facilitate self-care among older persons in South Africa.Design: Quantitative, descriptive, explorative and contextual research design.Methods: A literature review followed by a self-care assessment of a sample of older persons using the Appraisal of Self-care Agency (ASA-A) and Exercise of Self-care Agency (ESCA) questionnaires which led to the identification of conclusions and self-care deficits.Results: Based on Menon's psychological health empowerment model, and from the conclusions and self-care deficits, nine self-care guidelines were developed for the public health sector, professional nurses and older persons.Conclusion: This is the first systematic development of guidelines to facilitate self-care among older persons in South Africa.Implications for practice: The implementation of the self-care guidelines by the public health sector, professional nurses and older persons will improve the healthcare of older persons at home which will in turn improve their quality of life, reduce unintentional self-neglect, as well as assist in alleviating overcrowding in clinics because unnecessary visits to the clinic will drop.

Highlights

The public healthcare sector serves 83% of the South African population (Council for Medical Schemes, 2011) for whom primary healthcare (PHC) facilities form the first level of care
The value of the implementation of self-care is evident from the discussion above and the researchers of the current study developed self-care guidelines based on the three elements of Menon's psychological health empowerment model (Menon, 2002)
Assessment of self-care of the studied population by using the Appraisal of Self-care Agency (ASA-A) and Exercise of Self-care Agency (ESCA) questionnaires led to the identification of seven self-care deficits from which the researchers derived seven conclusions

Summary

Introduction

The public healthcare sector serves 83% of the South African population (Council for Medical Schemes, 2011) for whom PHC facilities form the first level of care. Aim: To develop guidelines for the three role players e the public health sector, professional nurse and older person e to facilitate self-care among older persons in South Africa. Results: Based on Menon's psychological health empowerment model, and from the conclusions and self-care deficits, nine self-care guidelines were developed for the public health sector, professional nurses and older persons. Implications for practice: The implementation of the self-care guidelines by the public health sector, professional nurses and older persons will improve the healthcare of older persons at home which will in turn improve their quality of life, reduce unintentional self-neglect, as well as assist in alleviating overcrowding in clinics because unnecessary visits to the clinic will drop

Objectives

Results

Conclusion