Beliefs about Self-Care among Nursing Home Staff and Residents in Taiwan

The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate the beliefs about self-care among nursing home staff and residents. Subjects included 10 nursing home staff members and 10 residents. Results indicated 3 major themes: 1) the importance of performing self-care, 2) barriers to regaining self-care abilities, and 3) facilitators to regaining self-care ability. The importance of performing self-care was related to subjects’ beliefs about being independent, to high-quality nursing care, and to negative feelings about asking for assistance. Barriers for elders to regaining self-care abilities were physical limitations, fear of falling, depressed mood, and staff-fostered dependency. However, facilitators for elders to regain self-care were increasing self-esteem, wishing to return home, and receiving support from staff and family members. The findings from this study will be useful for planning interventions to improve health and wellness among nursing home elders in Taiwan.