Effects on elderly women's self‐care in case of acute hospitalization as compared with men

The aim of the study was to describe the self‐care activities and conditioning factors for remaining at home, and to identify ways to assist the person to increase his or her self‐care capabilities during a hospital stay. A model was developed to give a holistic picture of the changes in self‐care capability during an acute hospitalization. Instruments were developed to collect data for a descriptive, explorative research in the framework of self‐care. The research indicated a number of interesting differences between sexes’ response to acute hospitalization, and points to several areas needing improvements to enhance the effect of acute hospitalization of elderly people. The factors to be improved are: attitudes toward the elderly; skills in observation, listening, and communicating; use of the patient as an equal partner in care and discussion of health; information, understanding that the patient is in a crisis situation; and physical conditions of the hospital to fit with the basic needs of the patient

Active listening · Acute care · Acute hospital · Health care · Self care · Family and Patient Care in Intensive Care Units · Medicine · Nursing · Psychology