The fatigue and self-care agency levels of the elderly people staying in rest homes and the relation between these two conditions

Abstract

This study was carried out to determine the fatigue and self-care levels of the elderly and the relation between these two conditions. One hundred forty-two individuals at the age of 65 or over were included in the descriptive-analytic study. Data were collected using Personal Information Forms to determine socio-demographic features and social relationships, and the Visual Analog Scale for Fatigue (VAS-F) to determine the fatigue status and Exercise of Self-Care Agency Scale (ESCA) to measure the self-care agency. The mean age of the elders who participated in the survey was 76.15 +/- 8.61 and their fatigue and energy level scores from VAS-F were 5.08 +/- 2.20 and 3.70 +/- 1.51 respectively. The value obtained from ESCA was 82.68 +/- 16.39. There is, statistically, a weak negative correlation (r = -0.459; p = 0.00) between fatigue and energy levels, a weak positive correlation (r = 0.284; p = 0.01) between self-care agency and energy levels, a weak negative correlation (r = -0.258; p = 0.02) between self-care agency and fatigue levels. According to the survey findings, it can be hypothesized that as elders living in rest homes, their energy level falls down, they experience moderate fatigue and have self-care agency a little more than moderate level, and the lack of energy and fatigue they experience affect their self-care agency. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.