self - care is a central concept in health care , and it may be regarded as the means through which 
 to maintain , restore , and improve health and well - being.1 it could , however , also be considered on a more general level , where a fundamental goal 
 for human beings should be to reach a high degree of self - care agency in order to obtain good health 
 and a good life.1 orem2 states that self - care that is performed effectively contributes not only 
 to human functioning , but also to human structural integrity and human development ( ie , to a dynamic 
 and holistic state of health ) . when choosing a holistic view of health , where vital goals,3 expanding consciousness,4 and human becoming,5 for 
 example , are central for understanding self - care , it should be meaningful to investigate the 
 self - care concept at a philosophical level and also to further elaborate upon it . life itself bears possibilities , and living is to be interpreted according to its relational 
 sense as caring . to live means to care for one s daily life,6 and this implies that self - care may be considered as a fundamental 
 category in life . caring promotes health,7,8 and caring can be seen as helping other persons to 
 grow.9 to care for oneself is to help oneself to 
 grow and to change . health as expanding consciousness,4 human becoming,5 or reaching vital goals 
 in life is , thus , a possible outcome of self - care.3 in a synthesis of theoretical and empirical literature related to self - care and health promotion 
 in aging , leenerts et al10 formulated a model of 
 self - care in which the complexities of aging were thought to be moderated by partnerships between 
 health care providers and clients . such partnerships are based on mutual respect , and caring and may 
 also underlie the structure for health care interventions to promote self - care abilities and 
 practices to foster health . this is conceptualized by orem2 as compensatory care , which can be complete or partial . outcomes can , according to 
 leenerts et al,10 include connectedness , 
 transcendence , resource use , and well - being . the aim of this article was to discuss and elaborate upon a phenomenological perspective on 
 self - care in aging that is relevant for the health sciences . an alternative to the traditional and predominant worldview in health care is viewed in the 
 man environment simultaneity paradigm.11,12 the beliefs set forth in the 
 simultaneity paradigm are that human beings are more than and different from the sum of their parts . health is a set of 
 value priorities and a process of growth or becoming , and these are experienced by the individual 
 and are only possibly described by the individual . the research tradition in this paradigm is 
 qualitative in orientation , and is more specifically phenomenological.13 in an attempt to situate self - care within a phenomenological paradigm , sderhamn1 has claimed that there is a dialectical relation between 
 self - care ability as potentiality for self - care activity and self - care activity itself , and that 
 both may be regarded as structures given to perception . self - care ability was also considered as an 
 integral part of the lived body ; the actualization of this ability may possibly come about through a 
 certain meaning . there are examples of phenomenological research studies about self - care in the research 
 literature that indicate the importance of transitions and the sense of self.1416 self - care 
 can facilitate transitions , and it may also be an outcome of transitions . an alternative to the traditional and predominant worldview in health care is viewed in the 
 man environment simultaneity paradigm.11,12 the beliefs set forth in the 
 simultaneity paradigm are that human beings are more than and different from the sum of their parts . health is a set of 
 value priorities and a process of growth or becoming , and these are experienced by the individual 
 and are only possibly described by the individual . the research tradition in this paradigm is 
 qualitative in orientation , and is more specifically phenomenological.13 in an attempt to situate self - care within a phenomenological paradigm , sderhamn1 has claimed that there is a dialectical relation between 
 self - care ability as potentiality for self - care activity and self - care activity itself , and that 
 both may be regarded as structures given to perception . self - care ability was also considered as an 
 integral part of the lived body ; the actualization of this ability may possibly come about through a 
 certain meaning . there are examples of phenomenological research studies about self - care in the research 
 literature that indicate the importance of transitions and the sense of self.1416 self - care 
 can facilitate transitions , and it may also be an outcome of transitions . being of things in its most general and indeterminate sense is by maritain17 referred to from the standpoint of action ( ie , in reference to what 
 they do ) . the natural behavior of things , as grasped by the senses and consciousness , is that things 
 change ; for example , a plant grows , what was living dies one day , and a bird flies . although it may 
 be hard to explain scientifically , most people know by experience what change and motion consist of ; 
 if there is change , there is also a transition from one mode of being to another . for a transition 
 to exist , there must be something that undergoes this change , as well as something that is the 
 subject of change . thus , identity must exist prior to change , and change can not occur without a 
 subject that can be changed , and which is some particular thing before it changes . when a thing 
 shall change , it has a particular identity ; it is not yet that particular thing it is destined to 
 become , but it possesses the means to be it ( ie , it can be it).17 being is central in sartre s phenomenological ontology,18 and being is in - itself ( ie , a nonconscious being ) . for - itself , or a 
 conscious being a third modality is 
 being - for - others where the self exists outside as an object for others . between being and not being there is the power of being or potentiality.17 this concept was already used by aristotle,19 who indicated that nature first provides us with potentialities and 
 later effects their actualization . potentiality is the capacity of an object to pass from one state 
 to another . a person who is asleep is potentially a person who is awake ; this means that x can 
 change to y because some conditions of y - ness are already inherent in x.20 when operating within a self - care frame of reference , potentiality may 
 be conceptualized as self - care ability and considered as a necessary condition for self - care 
 activities . when self - care ability is exercised , the result is self - care activity.1 when a human being undergoes a transition from one being to another , self - care activities can 
 facilitate this transition . this refers to the idea that transition is a passage from one life 
 phase , condition , or status to another , and it is both a process and an outcome of complex 
 person  environment interactions . health care professionals deal with people who are 
 anticipating transition , experiencing transition , or completing the act of transition.21,22 
 transitions are primarily developmental , situational , or health / illness events.22 good health and enhanced self - care ability may be considered as an 
 outcome variable in a positive transition . consciousness is a consciousness of the world , and the body is the center of consciousness . moreover , the body can be a body for - me and a body 
 for - others.18 we can encounter bodies as 
 being - in - themselves  either our own bodies or the bodies of others  as physical 
 objects and as physiological and anatomical bodies . this body 
 subject is my center of perception and field of action.23 thus , the body can be either a subject or an object , and there is a strong connection between 
 embodiment and being - in - the - world . the objective body of the biological and medical sciences has a 
 location in objective time and space . we look upon it in a detached and third - person way.24 disease is related to the objective body , and illness 
 is the lived experience of having a disease , which is related to the subjective body and is a 
 particular way of being - in - the - world.25 in an empirical study among older home - dwelling persons , sderhamn16 found that the structure of self - care ability among older people 
 entailed ( 1 ) being present to the opportunity to act on certain perceived influences on the body ; 
 and ( 2 ) being alone or receiving support from somebody else to be able to bring about a change in 
 attitude towards one s personal lifestyle or life situation . the meaning of actualizing this 
 ability into self - care activity was interpreted as self - realization or self - transcendence . the 
 actualization of self - care ability comes about through this meaning,1,16 which may be 
 regarded as an important driving force . it is possible that people think that they possess self - care ability , but actually they do not 
 have this ability . they believe  and in a way , lie to themselves  that they have 
 the resources to do self - care activities ( ie , that they can and want , under prevailing 
 circumstances , care for themselves in order to maintain , restore , or improve their health and 
 well - being).26 when people lie to themselves , the phenomenon of self - deception or bad faith , in the words of 
 sartre,18 is present . bad faith can be described 
 and motivated by the anguish that is our consciousness of our ambiguous freedom . self - deception is 
 paradoxical and requires that a person both believes something and does not believe it.23 we deal with human reality as a being , which is what 
 it is not and which is not what it is.18 leenerts et al10 found in their meta - analysis 
 that self - care ability contains the components consciousness , independence , problem solving , 
 relating , and reconciliation . self - care activity ( ie , the actualization of self - care ability),1 is constituted by communication , a healthy lifestyle , 
 and by building meaning and socializing.10 it has 
 also been shown in a group of older people with high sense of coherence that successful self - care 
 involves having , when needed , contact with the health care system , being conscious of a sound 
 lifestyle , being physically and mentally active , being engaged , having social contacts with family 
 and/or others , being satisfied and positive , and by looking forward.27 the bridge between self - care ability and self - care activity may be interpreted as 
 self - realization and/or self - transcendence.16 these 
 two may also be considered as necessary motivational driving forces for the individual , and 
 self - deception or bad faith may not be regarded as sufficient for actualizing the 
 individual s self - care ability into self - care activity . the antithesis of bad faith is 
 serenity,18 and serenity on behalf of the 
 individual should be considered as one of the fundamental cornerstones in self - care . a study among individuals between 55 and 65 years of age indicated that when self - care is 
 actualized in connection with the anticipated transition into later life , there were opportunities , 
 expectations , wishes , concerns , and worries related to this transition.28 self - care , in connection with this idea , depended on motivating and 
 demotivating factors . autonomy and mature dependence were positive driving forces , and supporting 
 autonomy should be a way of facilitating the transition into retirement and later life.28 when viewing self - care in aging within a phenomenological frame of reference , previous empirical 
 studies indicated that it may be preliminarily regarded as a fundamental perspective for the 
 conscious older individual , and as a way of being - in - the - world with both the objective body and the 
 lived body involved.10,1416,2628 the lived body as the personal center of perception and field of action is also the 
 center of self - care . the potentiality for self - care activity and self - care activity itself are structures given to 
 perception , with self - care ability as an integral part of the lived body . self - care activity is an 
 intentional act directed both to the objective and lived body and is characterized by connectedness 
 and transcendence , resource use , and well - being . the actualization of self - care ability comes about 
 through a certain meaning , which can be regarded as an important driving force . it is constituted by 
 communication , a healthy lifestyle , and through building meaning and socializing . successful self - care involves having contacts with the health care system , being conscious of a 
 sound lifestyle , being physically and mentally active , being engaged , having social contacts with 
 family and others , and being satisfied and positive and looking forward . self - care can facilitate transitions , and it may also be an 
 outcome of transitions . health care professionals , informal caregivers , family , and friends are important in supporting 
 older individuals in their self - care . on a societal level , special community - based health care 
 centers , voluntary centers , and other social meeting places can be engines of support for older 
 people with respect to their self - care . although much common sense knowledge is valuable within the 
 concept of self - care , it should be noted that professional knowledge within health , medicine , and 
 caring is important for providing efficient self - care support . motivational support and knowledge 
 about psychology and pedagogy are other important areas among both formal and informal caregivers in 
 order to  sell in  the idea of self - care and facilitate the actualization from 
 self - care ability into self - care activity . this knowledge is also important in order to identify and 
 prevent self - deception in relation to self - care . older people with illnesses and diseases may be 
 less susceptible to motivate , which also demands high - level competency about older people .
self - care is a central concept in health care and may be considered as a means to maintain , 
 restore , and improve one s health and well - being . 
 when performed effectively , self - care 
 contributes not only to human functioning but also to human structural integrity and human 
 development ( ie , to a dynamic and holistic state of health ) . 
 self - care as a clinical concept is 
 relevant for health care professionals , and it should be meaningful to investigate it at a 
 philosophical level and to further elaborate upon this concept . 
 the aim of this article is to 
 discuss and elaborate upon a phenomenological perspective on self - care in aging that is relevant for 
 the health sciences . 
 self - care may be preliminarily regarded as a fundamental perspective for the 
 conscious older individual , and as a way of being in the world with both the objective body and with 
 the lived body . 
 the lived body is the personal center of perception and the field of action , and it 
 is also the center of self - care 
 . the potentiality or ability for self - care activity and self - care 
 activity itself are structures given to perception , with self - care ability as an integral part of 
 the lived body . 
 the actualization of self - care ability comes about through a certain meaning , which 
 can be regarded as an important driving force . 
 it is constituted by communication , a healthy 
 lifestyle , and by building meaning and socializing . 
 successful self - care involves having contacts 
 with the health care system , being conscious of a sound lifestyle , being physically and mentally 
 active , being engaged , having social contacts with family and others , as well as being satisfied , 
 positive , and being able to look forward . 
 one fundamental cornerstone is serenity on behalf of the 
 individual . 
 self - care can facilitate transitions , and it may also be an outcome of transitions .