Introduction:

Worldwide, 3.2 million deaths are attributed to diabetes each year, a figure equivalent to one in 20 deaths, 8,700 deaths every day, or six every minute; and at least one in ten occur in adults aged 35-64 years old.

Objective:

To propose a nursing strategy concerning the self-care of older adults with diabetes mellitus.

Methods:

Intervention development study carried out in Dr. Rudesindo Antonio García del Rijo Polyclinic in Sancti Spíritus Municipality, in the province of the same name, from 2013 to 2017. The variables of the study were age, sex, level of information of older adults, type of diabetes mellitus, self-care of older adults, and state of health of older adults with diabetes mellitus. A structured interview was conducted on older adults with diabetes mellitus living in the community in order to find out the improvement in their health status. After applying the strategy, the population proportions were compared using the McNemar test.

Results:

Significant changes were achieved in the level of information of older adults; at the end, an acceptable 60.41% was obtained. After applying the strategy, self-care was present in 85.45% and the health status of older adults was high, accounting for 84.37%.

Conclusions:

With the actions and activities included in the nursing strategy for the self-care of older adults with diabetes mellitus, significant changes in self-care were achieved.

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