The aim of this study was to analyze the feelings of aged people regarding the self-care, accordingly to Nola Pender's Theory. This theory takes in consideration cognitive experiences, beliefs, habits and practices, in order to characterize the group's culture and lifestyle. The subjects were a group of participants from the Third Age Open University Program of Rio de Janeiro State University. The Data was collected through Art techniques and the data production was submitted to Sociopoetics thematic analysis. As results emerged the following categories: Collective face of the aging process - the group members do not see themselves as old, as represented by the cultural and social discrimination; The comprehensiveness of self-care - the image of the nurse attributed only to physical care was deconstructed, thus building the "conffect" (concept/affection) self-care/aging is the quest for another living dimension. To conclude, being old involves adopting positive solutions to face the difficulties regarding the aging process, using people's own human potential. A contribution may be to promote the self-care as a strategy for personal growth and as a start point for substantial changes.
Nursing; Gerontology; Health Promotion; Self care; Aging
