Older adults: a review of the association between self-care and quality of life

Abstract

The demographic landscape of Latin America and the Caribbean is changing. The globalization of the social transformations that population aging drags is already a fact. This process occurs in Latin America with a greater acceleration, obeying, more than its socioeconomic development, to punctual improvements in the general conditions of life; The aging of the population, although still incipient when compared to that of developed countries, is a reality that requires meeting the needs of an increasingly numerous older adult population (CELADE, 2003). Currently, the importance of self-care in older adults has been demonstrated in aspects related to the reduction of risk factors, the promotion of self-care behavior to achieve a better quality of life and a healthy old age. Objective: To investigate the existing associations between self-care and the quality of life of the elderly. Methodology: An electronic bibliographic review was carried out, focused on articles related to self-care and quality of life in the elderly population for a period of 10 years (2010-2020). Additionally, antecedents of investigations carried out at the level of Latin American countries were compiled. Results: Classified the works carried out by the different authors, who have studied self-care and quality of life, from a descriptive, correlational or analytical level, applying different statistical tests, where they relate self-care with sociodemographic characteristics, others linking to quality of life, in elderly people, either in nursing homes, in communities and others who attend different care centers. Conclusion: Different consulted bibliographies agree that from the multidimensionality (quality of life, self-care, among others) in which the care of the elderly can be approached; expanding the field of action from its particular characteristics, to create and promote effective intervention programs, according to their needs.