Physical and mental health, age and level of frailty related to the self-management abilities of community living older adults: a cross-sectional study

Purpose The purpose of this study was to gain a better insight into the interrelationships between older adults’ age, their physical and mental health, self-management abilities and level of frailty. Design/methodology/approach Eighty-three community living older adults completed a self-screening questionnaire and took part in a face-to-face assessment that focused on their physical and mental health outcomes and core self-management abilities. Findings About 75–80% of the community older adults (aged 65–75) had normal physical and mental functioning and 20–25% of them appear to suffer from deterioration of physical or mental health. Among self-management abilities, the highest scores were found for “being self-efficacious” and “having a positive frame of mind.” The lowest scores were found for “taking care of a variety of resources” and “taking care of resource multifunctionality.” The results of the path analysis indicated that older age and decreasing mental health are related to declining self-management abilities. The hypothesized direct relationship between physical health and self-management abilities was not statistically significant. In addition, we found that a better level of physical health is related to less frailty, while decreasing mental health is related to increased frailty. The hypothesized direct relationship between self-management abilities and frailty was not statistically significant. Practical implications It is important for relatively young older adults to focus on maintaining and improving their core self-management abilities when they have still enough resources to do so. In addition, it is recommended for nurses and other health-care professionals to be alert for deterioration of older adults’ core self-management abilities when cognitive decline occurs. Originality/value The findings of this study can help health-care professionals tailor support interventions aimed at maintaining or enhancing the core self-management abilities of older adults.