Objective To construct a transitional care programme for elderly patients with permanent enterostomy, and to evaluate its application effect. Methods Eighty-eitht elderly patients with enterostomy were divided into a control group and an intervention group, with 44 cases in each group by ward. The control group received routine postoperative care, while the intervention group additionally received a transitional care programme.The Care Dependency Scale (CDS) and Entorostomy Self-care Implementation Intention Questionnaire (ESIIQ) were utilized to assess and compare the two groups before the intervention, after the intervention and 3 months after the intervention. Results Totally 42 cases in the control group and 43 cases in the intervention group completed the study. There were significant main effects for group, time, and group-by-time interaction on the scores of CDS and ESIIQ between the two groups (P＜0.05 for all). Conclusion Implementing the transitional care programme for elderly patients with enterostomy can reduce their care dependence, enhance their self-care intention, and promote their rehabilitation.