This study aimed to analyze the daily care of the elderly with type 2 diabetes Mellitus (DM2) in the light of the theoretical assumptions of Leininger. This is a descriptive, qualitative study, with the participation of 8 elderly patients with DM2 in a Health Unit in the city of Fortaleza, state of Ceará, Brazil. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews. Data analysis was performed through content analysis and contemplated pre-analysis, material investigation and treatment and interpretation of the obtained data. The categories that emerged from the testimonies in the light of Leininger' concepts are: World View, Cultural Care and Environmental Context. We believe that older people with DM2 feel a constant fragility about their lives, and they look to guarantee their health through the cultivation of faith in religion, the use of medicinal plants, and the support of health professionals.
Diabetes Mellitus, type 2; Aging; Aged; Culture