Self-care is defined by WHO as "the ability of individuals, families and communities to promote health, prevent disease, maintain health, and cope with illness and disability with or without the support of a health care provider."
In addition, self-care can be understood as the daily acts that a person executes thinking about his or her own integral well-being: "self-care consists of those actions that ensure the well-being of our physical and mental health, they are tasks and habits that we include in our daily routine and that help us to guarantee a better quality of life as we age" (Self-care is a responsibility with our health, 2020).
Senior living communities aim to help people develop self-care habits and live their aging process to the fullest by offering a range of positive and rewarding services and activities. Some of the ways in which these communities promote self-care include the following:
1. Encourage the desire to live a healthy life
Thanks to the service of various professionals, residents of senior living communities adopt healthy lifestyles and aspire to maintain an optimal level of health from a holistic perspective. In addition, different areas of human development are stimulated and no one area is seen as more important than another.
2. Promote the development of skills and capabilities
Older adults continually participate in workshops and recreational activities in which they enhance their motor, artistic, sports and leisure skills and abilities. This allows them to see older adulthood as an opportunity to live an active and entertaining life.
3. Promote autonomy among residents
Part of self-care consists of spending quality time with oneself and engaging in activities that generate well-being and comfort. Each senior has his or her personal space in which he or she carries out what relaxes and excites him or her, in addition to sharing spaces every day with the other residents and stimulating the social bond.
Bibliographic references
Self-care is a responsibility to our health. Retrieved from: https://www.shaio.org/autocuidado-salud
