IOSR Journal of Nursing and Health Science (IOSR-JNHS) e-ISSN: 2320–1959.p- ISSN: 2320–1940 Volume 5, Issue 2 Ver. I (Mar. - Apr. 2016), PP 52-62 www.iosrjournals.org DOI: 10.9790/1959-05215262 www.iosrjournals.org 52 | Page Lifestyle Modifications to Reduce Constipation among the Community Dwelling Elderly People Tawheda Mohamed Khalefa El-saidy 1 , Samia Ali Shaban El- Nagar 2 Lecturer of Community Health Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Menoufia University, Egypt. 1 Lecturer of Community Health Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Menoufia University, Egypt. 2 Abstract: Constipation is a common digestive complaint in the elderly people. It has a significant effect on their daily living and well-being. Lifestyle modification is the first step for effectively manage it. So, the elderly people should maintain a healthy lifestyle to reduce constipation. The aim of the study was to identify the causes of constipation and to evaluate the effect of lifestyle modifications on reducing constipation among the elderly people. Methods: A quasi-experimental design was adopted. Subjects: A total of 120 elderly persons were recruited from two villages in Menoufia Governorate, Egypt. Four tools were used for data collection. Results: the mean age of the sample was 65.8 ± 6.9 years old. Causes for constipation included ignoring the urge of defecation (70.0%), irregular bowel habits (66.7%), inactivity (63.3%), presence of chronic disease (60.0%), colon problem (50.0%), insomnia (53.3%), stress (53.3%), nervousness (43.3%), drugs and indigestion (40.0%). Lifestyle modifications that help to reduce constipation were increasing of more vegetables in the diet, eating bran bread, drinking more than eight glasses of water daily, reducing caffeine intake, eating the meals at a regular time, and eating the breakfast meal and physical activity. There was a statistically significant reduction of constipation associated symptoms from pre to posttest. The participants (63.3%) changed their habits and maintain a regular toilet routine. Conclusion: Healthy lifestyle is recommended. It can reduce constipation associated symptoms. The elderly people who changed their lifestyle had normal bowel elimination per week (2.6±0.8). Recommendations: Changes in lifestyle such as increasing the daily intake of vegetables, fruits, and water are very important to reduce constipation. Also, the community health nurse should educate the elderly people to schedule their bowel elimination at the same time every day and avoid ignoring the urge. Key words: lifestyle, Constipation, Community dwelling, Elderly people. I. Introduction The chronological age of sixty-five years had been accepted as a definition of 'elderly person by most of the developed world countries, but this does not adapt well to the situation in Africa. United Nations agreed that sixty years and more refers to the older population (WHO, 2014). The elderly people in Egypt who are aged from 60-64 years old constituted about 6.7% while persons aged 65 years and more constituted about 5% with life expectancy 73.45 years old (CIA, 2014). The population of those aged 65 years and older is expected to increase to 88.5 million by 2050; those 85 and older will double to 9.6 million during the same period (U.S. Census Bureau, 2011). It means that elderly people increased in number. So, nurses will care for a higher percentage of older adults with chronic conditions such as constipation ( Toner & Claros, 2012). Also, the demand for home care is expected to grow in the coming years. Home visits to elderly people should focus on their needs. The role of the home care worker is a valuable one to many older people and their families (NICE, 2015). Normal patterns of bowel elimination vary widely from individual to another, some people believe they are constipated if a day passes without a bowel movement; for others, every third or fourth day is normal (Cachero-Salavrakos & Klopp, 2012). Constipation means passing of three or fewer bowel movements per week. It is more prevalent in women than in men (Jamshed et al., 2011). It includes unsatisfactory defecation, infrequent stools, or difficulty with stool passage. In elderly people, constipation may be associated with fecal impaction and fecal incontinence (Satish, 2015). Complications of constipation can cause serious health problems and affect negatively on their health. Constipation is a common prevalent problem among the elderly people ( Cachero-Salavrakos & Klopp, 2012). Its prevalence ranges from 0.7% to 81% around the world (Mugie et al., 2011). Most people experience occasional constipation, but about fourteen percent of adults suffer from chronic constipation (Jamshed, 2011; Quigley, 2011; Basilisco, 2013; Rao & Sifuentes, 2014). Chronic constipation can affect from 2% to 27% of the population ( Sanchez & Bercik, 2011). The prevalence increases with age and differs