Universal self-care requisites as identified by homeless elderly men

Self-care: a foundational science

Further development of conceptual elements of the theory of self-care, one of the three constituent theories of Orem's self-care deficit theory of nursing, is reported. Five content areas of a practical science of self-care are identified; one content area, self-care requisites, is refined and developed. The nature of self-care requisites is reformulated; guides and standards for the expression of self-care requisites, examples of expressed self-care requisites, and a self-care practice guide are described. These developments are illustrated using the example of the requisite to maintain an adequate fluid intake.

Living with serious mental illness: the desire for normalcy

This article describes the desire for normalcy as experienced by 6 men and 13 women with serious mental illness based on secondary analysis of data from two previous qualitative studies. Original data were collected by structured and semi-structured interviews, and thematic analysis was done. Major categories of desire for normalcy are having normal things and experiences; doing meaningful activities; and being well, safe, free, and independent. Self-care actions to promote and maintain normalcy are identified, and finding are discussed in relation to Orem's self-care deficit theory of nursing. Implications for nursing theory, research, and practice are addressed.

The lived experiences of homeless men

To investigate the phenomenon of social disaffiliation in homeless men, a qualitative study was conducted that used a framework of Bahr's (1973) social disaffiliation theory. Ten homeless men were interviewed to determine their reasons for becoming homeless, their feelings about being homeless, and the specific resources they used for maintaining life on the streets. Using a semistructured interview, audiotapes were made of the responses of the 10 men, 20 to 61 years old, who were using a shelter for the homeless in a U.S. southern city. For data analysis, Giorgi's phenomenological approach (cited in Omery, 1983) was used. Activities and resources that the men used to meet their social, economic, and other needs were described. The following three major themes were identified: rejection, uncertainty, and social isolation. Recommendations include changing nursing curricula and conducting staff development programs, testing interventions to alleviate social isolation, and assisting the homeless to return to the societal mainstream.