As China’s population ages rapidly, maintaining intrinsic capacity (IC) is key to healthy aging. However, existing research lacks focus on older adults’ subjective experiences of self-managing their IC. Guided by the ICOPE framework, this qualitative study explores these lived experiences to inform culturally appropriate interventions.

To explore how community-dwelling older adults self-manage, maintain, and optimize their intrinsic capacity based on the Integrated Care for Older People (ICOPE) framework, with the aim to inform the development of integrated intrinsic capacity interventions within community health centers.

We purposefully sampled 17 participants from four communities across urban, suburban, and rural areas in Beijing. All participants scored 7 or higher on the World Health Organization (WHO) Intrinsic Capacity Screening Tool. We conducted semi-structured interviews and analyzed the data using Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis.

We identified three main themes: (1) exploring internalized self-management ability strategies through daily routines; (2) multiple motivations driving internalized self-management ability; (3) supportive community environment empowering internalized self-management ability.

Findings highlight that supportive community environment and daily-life interventions enable older adults to effectively manage their intrinsic capacity. Recognizing older adults as active health resources informs the design of localized, community-based internalized self-management ability strategies.