Prepared by: Ema Ahačič 
Date of last change: March 2023

Purpose and justification of the indicator

Slovenia, like all other European countries, is experiencing demographic changes. The population is rapidly aging in recent decades due to longer life spans and lower birth rates. In 2012, slightly more than a fifth of the population was over 65 years old, and about 6% was over 80 years old. According to forecasts, in 2060 one third of the population will be over 65 years old.
The elderly are a very diverse population group, as their functional capacities vary from complete independence and independent living to complete dependence on the help of others. Due to various health problems and age-related deterioration of physical and cognitive functions, elderly people often encounter difficulties in carrying out normal daily activities, such as feeding, getting up from a bed or chair, sitting on a chair or lying down on a bed, using the toilet, bathing or showering, etc. . Restrictions in the implementation of the mentioned activities are more pronounced in those with chronic diseases, in those over 80 years of age and those who have changed their social environment. The desire of many elderly people is to function as efficiently and independently as possible in their home environment without or with occasional help, so self-care is an important factor that enables older people to live at home. Dependence on foreign aid can also be a source of severe distress for the elderly, especially when there is a (sudden) change in their situation.
Possible sources of help for people with limitations in self-care are: various aids, preferably affordable, adaptation of the apartment (suitable lighting, access to a shower without a threshold, non-slip floor, absence of stairs, etc.), help from relatives or loved ones, or organized forms of help such as home delivery of food, help at home, patronage service, daycare and stay in institutions or serviced apartments. It is necessary to offer the elderly as much help as they need, so that their sense of self-esteem does not decrease. Preventive action is also important to reduce the risk of disease development and promote active aging in society. Monitoring the indicator is also important for the planning, organization and implementation of the types of services provided by the social welfare service at home.

Definition of indicator

Proportion of people aged 55 and over who have difficulty performing one of the following activities without assistance: feeding, lying down/sitting or getting up from bed or chair, dressing and undressing, using the toilet, bathing or showering.

Unit of measure

Calculation of the indicator

The indicator "Proportion of people who have problems taking care of themselves" is the ratio between the number of people aged 55 and over who, in the survey, answered the question "Are you able to perform the listed activities without help?" in at least one of the listed activities (feeding, lying down /sitting or getting up from a bed or chair, dressing and undressing, using the toilet, bathing or showering) answered with: "with minor problems", "with major problems" or "can't do it at all" and the number of people aged 55 and over, who answered this question multiplied by 100 in the survey.
Impairment in self-care
<math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mfrac><mrow><mi>N</mi><mi>u</mi><mi>m</mi><mi>b</mi><mi>e</mi><mi>r</mi><mo>&#160;</mo><mi>o</mi><mi>f</mi><mo>&#160;</mo><mi>p</mi><mi>e</mi><mi>o</mi><mi>p</mi><mi>l</mi><mi>e</mi><mo>&#160;</mo><mi>w</mi><mi>h</mi><mi>o</mi><mo>&#160;</mo><mi>h</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>v</mi><mi>e</mi><mo>&#160;</mo><mi>p</mi><mi>r</mi><mi>o</mi><mi>b</mi><mi>l</mi><mi>e</mi><mi>m</mi><mi>s</mi><mo>&#160;</mo><mi>p</mi><mi>e</mi><mi>r</mi><mi>f</mi><mi>o</mi><mi>r</mi><mi>m</mi><mi>i</mi><mi>n</mi><mi>g</mi><mo>&#160;</mo><mi>o</mi><mi>n</mi><mi>e</mi><mo>&#160;</mo><mi>o</mi><mi>f</mi><mo>&#160;</mo><mi>t</mi><mi>h</mi><mi>e</mi><mo>&#160;</mo><mi>l</mi><mi>i</mi><mi>s</mi><mi>t</mi><mi>e</mi><mi>d</mi><mo>&#160;</mo><mi>a</mi><mi>c</mi><mi>t</mi><mi>i</mi><mi>v</mi><mi>i</mi><mi>t</mi><mi>i</mi><mi>e</mi><mi>s</mi><mo>&#160;</mo><mo>(</mo><mn>55</mn><mo>&#160;</mo><mi>y</mi><mi>e</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>r</mi><mi>s</mi><mo>&#160;</mo><mi>a</mi><mi>n</mi><mi>d</mi><mo>&#160;</mo><mi>o</mi><mi>l</mi><mi>d</mi><mi>e</mi><mi>r</mi><mo>)</mo></mrow><mrow><mi>N</mi><mi>u</mi><mi>m</mi><mi>b</mi><mi>e</mi><mi>r</mi><mo>&#160;</mo><mi>o</mi><mi>f</mi><mo>&#160;</mo><mi>a</mi><mi>l</mi><mi>l</mi><mo>&#160;</mo><mi>p</mi><mi>e</mi><mi>r</mi><mi>s</mi><mi>o</mi><mi>n</mi><mi>s</mi><mo>&#160;</mo><mi>w</mi><mi>h</mi><mi>o</mi><mo>&#160;</mo><mi>a</mi><mi>n</mi><mi>s</mi><mi>w</mi><mi>e</mi><mi>r</mi><mi>e</mi><mi>d</mi><mo>&#160;</mo><mi>t</mi><mi>h</mi><mi>i</mi><mi>s</mi><mo>&#160;</mo><mi>q</mi><mi>u</mi><mi>e</mi><mi>s</mi><mi>t</mi><mi>i</mi><mi>o</mi><mi>n</mi><mo>&#160;</mo><mo>(</mo><mn>55</mn><mo>&#160;</mo><mi>y</mi><mi>e</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>r</mi><mi>s</mi><mo>&#160;</mo><mi>a</mi><mi>n</mi><mi>d</mi><mo>&#160;</mo><mi>o</mi><mi>l</mi><mi>d</mi><mi>e</mi><mi>r</mi><mo>)</mo></mrow></mfrac><mo>&#215;</mo><mn>100</mn></math>
The indicator for the municipality is calculated on the basis of a model that takes into account the prevalence of disabilities in self-care (proportion of persons aged 55 and over who have difficulties performing activities without assistance) at the level of the administrative unit and demographic data of the municipality.

Data sources for Slovenia

Health and Healthcare Survey (EHIS), National Institute of Public Health.

Time availability

Data are collected periodically, according to the European Commission Regulation, the survey is planned for five-year periods. So far, the survey has been conducted in 2007, 2014 and 2019.

Men in literature

1. Železnik D. Self-care behavior styles and the functional ability of elderly people living in their home environment. Nursing Review, Volume 44, Number 1, p. 3-11. 2010 &lt;http://www.dlib.si/?URN=URN:NBN:SI:DOC-9VTZZ5YU&gt;
2. Venin&scaron;ek G, Salobir B, &Scaron;krgat S, Blinc A, Ko&scaron;nik M, &Scaron;abović M. Symposium of geriatrics in internal medicine - proceedings. Ljubljana, 2022
3. McDonnell LB R, Bogataj D, Kav&scaron;ek M. Long-term care: challenges and opportunities: care and residential aspects. &Scaron;empeter pri Gorica: MEDIFAS; Ljubljana: Association of Social Welfare Institutions of Slovenia, 2015
4. Roljić S, Kobentar R. Age as a challenge: health and care: [internal material] (1st electronic ed.). Public institute Cene &Scaron;tupar - center for education; 2017 http://www.dlib.si/details/URN:NBN:SI:DOC-OJUSBIGF
5. Kogoj A. Psychological needs in old age. Medical journal, volume 73, number 10, p. 749-751; 2004. &lt;http://www.dlib.si/?URN=URN:NBN:SI:DOC-SQPFFVB2&gt;
6. Cerin&scaron;ek P Nusdorfer N. Through appropriate nutrition, exercise and a healthy lifestyle to health in old age - How to prevent the deepening of frailty in older adults: Manual in the program Take care of yourself and (Take) care of yourself. Maribor: Association of Societies for Social Gerontology of Slovenia; 2018.

Notes

The survey includes people aged 15 and over. The survey does not cover the population residing in the institution at the time of the survey.
The EHIS survey data are not age standardized.

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