Presenter(s):

Aija Ozola, Kristīne Mārtinsone, Riga Stradins University, Latvia

Abstract

Introduction: Modern person-centred healthcare emphasizes the importance of older adults engaging in nature-based self-care to maintain health and well-being. Such self-care involves intentional engagement in nature-related activities to preserve and restore life satisfaction. However, research on these behaviours, particularly in older adults, is limited.
Objective: This study explored nature-based self-care in ageing population, focusing on attitude-behaviour gaps and associations with life satisfaction.
Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 210 participants aged 55–76 years (91% women, 9% men) assessed their self-care attitudes and behaviours using the Nature-Based Self-Care Scale (NB-SCS) and measured life satisfaction. The NB-SCS consists of separate attitude and behaviour sections, each covering various nature-based activities grouped into subscales.
Results: Participants generally held positive attitudes toward nature-based self-care but reported lower engagement levels. Significant gaps between attitudes and behaviours were found across subscales, with the Wilcoxon test confirming the disparity. Low-to-moderate correlations were observed between nature-based self-care and life satisfaction (r = .335 and r = .341, p < .001).
Conclusion: While valued, nature-based self-care practices are underutilized among older adults, suggesting that combining such strategies with broader self-care approaches could enhance well-being. Future research should aim to develop integrative models to bridge attitude-behaviour gaps and optimize life satisfaction.

Bio(s):

Aija Ozola is a PhD student in psychology and teaching assistant in Department of Health Psychology and Paedagogy, at Riga Stradins University, Latvia. Her research interests focus on digital interventions in health psychology and music therapy, as well as nature as a well-being resource across different age groups.

Kristīne Mārtinsone is professor and head of Department of Health Psychology and Paedagogy at Riga Stradins University, Latvia. She is a scientific expert of the Latvian Council of Science in Psychology, and Health and Sports Sciences, an author, co-author, compiler, scientific editor of more than 200 publications as well as more than 50 books (monographs and collections of articles). Conceptualising a wide range of topics in health psychology and other disciplines, she searches for historical, social and cultural interrelations and analyses the dimensions of different phenomena including well-being, self-care, resilience, etc. She is also one of the lead experts of Latvia in research methodology.