title: Self-determination and older people--a concept analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Self-determination has emerged as an important concept within health care, used to emphasize clients' control and independence as they participate in rehabilitation. To strengthen clients' self-determination is a central aim in occupational therapy. However, there is a lack of a clear definition of self-determination concerning community-dwelling older people. The definition should be flexible in different contexts, such as cultural.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To define and clarify the concept of self-determination in relation to community-dwelling frail older people.
  
  
  METHODS
  Walker & Avant's analysis procedure was carried out to identify textual attributes to the concept of self-determination, supplemented by a content analysis of 21 articles that were used to define and further justify the textual attributes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Self-determination was used in diverse contexts for community-dwelling older people, concerning: decision-making in everyday life, professionals' views, health, and legal/ethical rights. Different textual attributes were identified, to propose a conceptual definition of self-determination in relation to community-dwelling frail older people: A process in which a person has control and legal/ethical rights, and has the knowledge and ability to make a decision of his/her own free choice.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This concept analysis has contributed to clarifying the concept for the convenience of research with community-dwelling frail older people.
authors.affiliation: Vårdalinstitutet - The Swedish Institute for Health Sciences , Gothenburg , Sweden.
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ekelund
authors.forename: Synneve
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dahlin-Ivanoff
authors.forename: Kajsa
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Eklund
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002961:Civil Rights; D003657:Decision Making; D016330:Frail Elderly; D006801:Humans; D057187:Independent Living; D009788:Occupational Therapy; D026684:Personal Autonomy; D009626:Terminology as Topic