Self-care capacity of Portuguese elderly people living at home

Introduction This article presents an analysis of the Self-Care Capacity elderly people living at home, identifying variables that interfere with it. Aging is a stage life in which health needs undergo continuous changes resulting from disease situations and aging process, therefore, implementation adequate effective support for ability to take care oneself will contribute promotion well-being. Objective To identify home. Method non-experimental, cross-sectional, quantitative descriptive correlational study, involving 400 participants who met inclusion criteria. Assessment self-care capacity using Exercise Agency – ESCA. Results Based on multivariate variance, existence statistically significant differences was identified some domains according age, education self-perception person's status. Overall, positive correlations were found between age domain Initiative responsibility (3.6%) Knowledge information seeking (5.2%) negative (3.7%). We also perceived themselves as unable showed lower scores than those able themselves, both when self-perceived healthy or having pathology (difference mean -.38 -.53, respectively, p<.05). Conclusion In view these data, given ageing multiple challenges self-care, we suggest nurses should consider strategies access, understand, interpret integrate content allows them themselves.