Self-care of Older Adults Living Alone during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study
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Abstract
This qualitative descriptive study aimed to describe the self-care of older adults living alone during the COVID-19 pandemic. The key informants comprised eighteen individuals aged 60 and above living alone in Nakhon Pathom Province. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data, focusing on self-care experiences among older adults living alone during the COVID-19 pandemic. The data were analyzed using content analysis.
The results revealed that older adults engaged in self-care in the following domains: 1) health behavior adjustments, such as wearing face masks; 2) health care management, such as receiving home visits from medical personnel; 3) psychosocial adjustments, such as modifying social interaction patterns; and 4) self-reliance, such as utilization of limited resources.
Based on the findings, home visit activities for older adults living alone should be organized in collaboration with network partners to provide support, supplies, emotional well-being, disease-related information and knowledge, and guidance on safe and appropriate home-based exercise.
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