Kontakt 2009, 11(1):160-163 | DOI: 10.32725/kont.2009.029

Support of mental health in seniors with self-care deficiencyPotřeba rozvoje ošetřovatelské komunitní péče

Dana Zrubcová^*, Zuzana Schmidtová

Univerzita Konštantína Filozofa v Nitre, Fakulta sociálnych vied a zdravotníctva, katedra ošetrovateľstva

The contemporary demographic trend is characterized by a prolongation of the average life span and increase in the number of seniors. The varying demographic parameters also considerably affect granting of the nursing care. Due to senile changes and limitations associated with diseases, the ability of seniors to perform common activities of their daily life is frequently disturbed. The self-care deficit and loneliness can induce the origination of negative emotions supporting development of depressive mood. The depressive mood can also result from feelings of the loneliness, uselessness, retirement or death of a partner. For a nurse working in the Agency of the Household Nursing Care (AHNC) it is unavoidable to properly identify the level of the self-sufficiency and emotional condition of a senior, to plan effective interventions leading to the recovery of his/her well-being and self-sufficiency. The target of the work was to find, how the seniors evaluate their family background, social contacts and financial and dwelling conditions which they are living in. We were interested in a question: what is the effect of the self-care deficit on the senior mental health? Our interest was particularly focused on possible mutual relationships between the dependence concerning basic daily activities, loneliness and depressive mood development. The group included n=80 respondents - clients of the AHNC. We employed a structured interview and diagnostics scales: Test of instrumental daily activities for the assessment of the degree of dependence and Geriatric Scale of Depression for the consideration of the respondent emotional condition. Adverse social and financial conditions and insufficient family background exerted negative effects on the mental health and well-being of respondents. The deficiency of the self-care negatively affected the mental health and well-being of respondents after their dismissal from the institutional care to the household environment. Depressive mood was adjusted by stepwise reduction in the dependence during daily activities.

Keywords: senior; mental health; self-care; nurse; deficiency

Received: October 6, 2008; Accepted: February 2, 2009; Published: May 27, 2009  Show citation