Strategies developed by community-dwelling elderly people to live alone

Abstract

The aim of this study was to analyze strategies developed by the elderly in order to live alone. A qualitative, exploratory research was conducted with 14 elderly individuals, who lived in a community that belongs to the area assisted by a basic health unit in a city in southern Brazil. Data were collected through interviews and analyzed by means of the thematic content analysis technique. In order to analyze the strategies, three categories were constructed, according to the identified behaviors. Strategy 1: behaviors in search of social support; strategy 2: behaviors in search of keeping active; strategy 3: behaviors in search of religiosity. The analysis of the strategies developed by the elderly enabled us to understand how they use the available resources to handle difficulties that are inherent to the process of aging.